ABSTRACT
"Elio Vittorini holds a major position in 20th-century Italian literature thanks to both his narrative production and his activity as editor and militant intellectual. This work aims to present the English-speaking reader with a comprehensive study of the author, his times and his work. Particular attention has been paid to the interconnection between Vittorini's work as a fiction writer and his political commitment which saw him move from revolutionary fascism to communism, to independent left-wing militancy. The combination of extensive archival research with a re-appraisal of his fiction and of his editorial activity provides a full picture reaching beyond the traditional restricted view of Vittorini as the anti-fascist author of ""Conversazione in Sicilia""."
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part One|14 pages
The Years of Literary Apprenticeship
part Two|45 pages
Changing Perspectives: 1930-36
part Three|50 pages
The Novel as Weapon: 1937-1945
part Four|75 pages
The Politics of Literature: 1946-1966
part Five|50 pages
Linking Threads: A Thematic Analysis