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The Complete Little World of Don Camillo
DON CAMILLO ... TALKING WITH GOD
In Don Camillo's Little World, where the Cold War is fought on the very doorstep of life, the hot-headed Catholic priest and the equally pugnacious Communist mayor, Peppone, confront one another in riotous and often hilarious manner.
But when Don Camillo unburdens himself in the village church a voice from the cross above the high altar responds and his conversations with Il Cristo begin. We watch and listen, as with fascinating insights and gentle humour the prejudices of the stubborn priest are undermined, a resolution to conflict emerges, and the situation is transformed to the benefit of the community.
It is then that we see that the ideas and values of Don Camillo's Little World are true for all times, the world over...
Inimitable, delicious, full of pure fun THE OBSERVER
In this brand new, authorised edition of Giovanni Guareschi's enchanting classic, nineteen stories never before translated into English are published for the first time. Set in an isolated village amidst the sultry beauty of Italy s Lower Plain, The Little World of Don Camillo has been enjoyed by countless folk from 10 to 100, not only in book form, but also on film, TV and radio, and most recently as an audio-book.
In Don Camillo's Little World, where the Cold War is fought on the very doorstep of life, the hot-headed Catholic priest and the equally pugnacious Communist mayor, Peppone, confront one another in riotous and often hilarious manner.
But when Don Camillo unburdens himself in the village church a voice from the cross above the high altar responds and his conversations with Il Cristo begin. We watch and listen, as with fascinating insights and gentle humour the prejudices of the stubborn priest are undermined, a resolution to conflict emerges, and the situation is transformed to the benefit of the community.
It is then that we see that the ideas and values of Don Camillo's Little World are true for all times, the world over...
Inimitable, delicious, full of pure fun THE OBSERVER
In this brand new, authorised edition of Giovanni Guareschi's enchanting classic, nineteen stories never before translated into English are published for the first time. Set in an isolated village amidst the sultry beauty of Italy s Lower Plain, The Little World of Don Camillo has been enjoyed by countless folk from 10 to 100, not only in book form, but also on film, TV and radio, and most recently as an audio-book.
272 pages, Paperback
First published September 19, 2013
About the author
Giovannino Guareschi
188 books207 followersGiovannino Oliviero Giuseppe Guareschi, also know as Giovanni Guareschi, was a Italian journalist, writer, humorist. Along with Giovanni Mosca and Giaci Mondaini he founded the humorous magazine "Candido". He was well know because of the "Don Camillo" series based on the stories about the two main characters: Don Camillo, the priest and Peppone, the communist Mayor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
June 7, 2016
I was first introduced to Don Camillo in my teens so it was an absolute delight to read him again. I loved Don Camillo and Peppone with their constant, occasionally brutal, fighting. This new paperback edition is reportedly complete, containing stories that were not in the original English version. Not having my copy of the original version and being considerably older I do not remember which stories were in the original and which have been restored.
That doesn't matter, not at all. Peppone the mayor is an ardent communist, Don Camillo a Catholic priest who has Jesus as a conscience. Both were involved in the partisan war against the Germans and have a healthy respect for each other's physicality. This doesn't stop them doing battle over the conflicts in their beliefs and anything else about which they have chosen to disagree. In spite of this both men remain humane and capable of working together in an emergency, putting political differences aside.
The translation of these stories is simple, but eloquent. Each could be seen as a morality story, of good vanquishing evil, because the stories are written from the point of view of Don Camillo. If that were the case Don Camillo would win every time but he doesn't. Guareschi seems to be much more interested in the flaws that make the characters human beings rather than their doctrinal differences. Reading the stories in this light adds to the fun.
That doesn't matter, not at all. Peppone the mayor is an ardent communist, Don Camillo a Catholic priest who has Jesus as a conscience. Both were involved in the partisan war against the Germans and have a healthy respect for each other's physicality. This doesn't stop them doing battle over the conflicts in their beliefs and anything else about which they have chosen to disagree. In spite of this both men remain humane and capable of working together in an emergency, putting political differences aside.
The translation of these stories is simple, but eloquent. Each could be seen as a morality story, of good vanquishing evil, because the stories are written from the point of view of Don Camillo. If that were the case Don Camillo would win every time but he doesn't. Guareschi seems to be much more interested in the flaws that make the characters human beings rather than their doctrinal differences. Reading the stories in this light adds to the fun.
July 6, 2022
light & sweet little episodic chapters in a small Italian village directly post-WWII. Don Camillo chats with Jesus and gets into fist fights with comrade-mayor Peppone (respectfully).
March 24, 2021
3.5 stars. An entertaining, humorous, delightful collection of around 40 short stories, each of about 5 - 6 pages. The main characters in each of the stories are the village priest, Don Camilo, a large, sometimes impetuous, obstinate man and his adversary, Peppone, the Communist Mayor, equally impetuous and obstinate! Don Camilo speaks to ‘Jesus’ in nearly all the stories to gain advice and to air his grievances.
The author captures human nature at its pettiest, stubbornist, heart warmingest, and most gratuitous.
Most of the stories were first published in book form in Italy in 1950.
The author captures human nature at its pettiest, stubbornist, heart warmingest, and most gratuitous.
Most of the stories were first published in book form in Italy in 1950.
May 10, 2021
Delightful but repetitive. I did enjoy the banter between Dom Camillo and Jesus but the stories were all fairly similar. Definitely better if read in small chunks rather all at once.
January 24, 2020
Last fall my mom brought up a series of stories she used to enjoy with my grandfather when she was young - "They were about this Italian priest in a little village, and the communist mayor who was his enemy, and they would fight all the time - they were funny."
Well, I did a search to find out what she was talking about, and Don Camillo came up. I bought her this book as a gift but ended up reading it myself, and the stories are delightful - more slapstick than I expected (plenty of kicks in the rear and comical fisticuffs), but with a genuine humanity suffusing every page. Even the device of having Don Camillo speak regularly to the crucifix over his altar - who engages in a dialogue back with him - wasn't cloying - on the contrary, Don Camillo, always tries to pull the wool over Christ's eyes (toting a gun underneath his cassock, for instance," and Jesus always catches him out with the weariness of an indulgent but exhausted parent.
I'm delighted that there are a few hundred more of these stories(!) that I still haven't read. They're a bit quaint, in a way, but there's also something timeless about them. Don Camillo and Peppone the mayor, always at loggerheads but coming together when it counts, feel like archetypes, and models for a type of behavior we don't see anymore in our polarized, winner-takes-all world. It takes a village, of course, and it helps that these characters live in such a tiny one, but in its own way it feels as big as the world - a slightly better one than the one we have now.
Well, I did a search to find out what she was talking about, and Don Camillo came up. I bought her this book as a gift but ended up reading it myself, and the stories are delightful - more slapstick than I expected (plenty of kicks in the rear and comical fisticuffs), but with a genuine humanity suffusing every page. Even the device of having Don Camillo speak regularly to the crucifix over his altar - who engages in a dialogue back with him - wasn't cloying - on the contrary, Don Camillo, always tries to pull the wool over Christ's eyes (toting a gun underneath his cassock, for instance," and Jesus always catches him out with the weariness of an indulgent but exhausted parent.
I'm delighted that there are a few hundred more of these stories(!) that I still haven't read. They're a bit quaint, in a way, but there's also something timeless about them. Don Camillo and Peppone the mayor, always at loggerheads but coming together when it counts, feel like archetypes, and models for a type of behavior we don't see anymore in our polarized, winner-takes-all world. It takes a village, of course, and it helps that these characters live in such a tiny one, but in its own way it feels as big as the world - a slightly better one than the one we have now.
June 20, 2020
Guareschi's stories are like having a window into the Italy of the 1940's-50's. The two main charactrers, Peppone, the communist mayor and Don Camillo, the Catholic priest, come to life on these pages. They are ideologically opposed and emotionally identical, stubborn and outspoken. So, they are almost always arguing with, then forgiving each other, having fought side by side in the war.
Don Camillo is a tough, rough and ready priest who doesn't hesitate to use violence to get what he wants. Jesus, on the crucifix on the church wall, often calls him out for his bad behavior, leading to some interesting 'conversations'. Guareschi said in an interview that Jesus's words came from his own conscience. Considering that Guareschi himself got into hot water a few times by criticizing the communists (and fascists), Don Camillo seems to be a kind of alter-ego.
Don Camillo is a tough, rough and ready priest who doesn't hesitate to use violence to get what he wants. Jesus, on the crucifix on the church wall, often calls him out for his bad behavior, leading to some interesting 'conversations'. Guareschi said in an interview that Jesus's words came from his own conscience. Considering that Guareschi himself got into hot water a few times by criticizing the communists (and fascists), Don Camillo seems to be a kind of alter-ego.
February 1, 2023
For me, this book was one of those used bookstore whims, a crummy paperback I took a flyer on in my twenties, that gave me some belly laughs. A quarter century later, a new translation and time/distance gave me reason to revisit it.
Don Camillo's world is a satire set in a small, backwater post-WWII northern Italian village. Our protagonist is a Catholic priest, cigar smoking, strong as an ox, and hot-headed. His nemesis is Peppone (Italian for "Big Joe", a nod to Stalin), the larger-than-life communist mayor. Don Camillo is quick to throw a punch and quick to succumb to temptation. And he speaks to his conscience in the form of the crucifix at his parish church, and Jesus dutifully responds with sober judgment at every turn.
"I do not think Machiavelli is a sacred text you should rely on exclusively," exclaimed Jesus.
What's not to be attracted to?
The vignettes generally become turf wars between Don Camillo against Peppone and his cast of idiologues, battles concerning power and influence. Pissing contests ensue amidst labor strikes and Bishop visits. The village itself has a very Old World feel to it, heavily agricultural, a close-knit community still in pain from the continental wars. Don Camillo, prone to stealing machine guns from the local communist militias, is an outsized figure. As fanciful as it seems to create such a satire, I imagine it captures some semblence of midcentury Italian culture.
Guareschi is a world-weary comedic writer who had lived through the Mussolini era, two world wars and a German prison camp. He isn't putting fascists in these stories, but he finds a lot of humor in pitting dogma against dogma. And while it's clear that he is no communist sympathizer, he puts heart into all sides of the conversation.
Old Maguggia interrupted him. "Let's get one thing clear. I'm asking for help from you, Don Camillo, a man I hold in high esteem, not you Don Camillo the priest who I must hold in low esteem because of the very fact that you are a priest."
Old Maguggia was a "veteran socialist", one of those who can't wait to die so that they can mock the priest by refusing the comforts of religion and arranging for their funerals to be accompanied by the "Internationale".
Don Camillo hid his hands behind his back and silently prayed to God that he'd be able to keep them there.
"That's fine," replied Don Camillo. "As a man I'd happily kick you out of my house, but as a priest I must help you. However, let's be clear that I'm helping you the upright citizen, not you the anti-cleric."
Humor and warmth are the main threads in these stories. But as one might expect given all the author had lived through, there is a sobering darkness to these stories too. The stories still have the feel of comedy that had experienced tragedy. It brings depth to the tales and humanity to the characters.
I suspect the translator did a very good job for this edition -- if he could conjure laughs alongside great imagery, that's a great endorsement. But I'm sure there were a lot of other bits of comedy that couldn't cross the great divide created by language, time, and space. Still, I find a lot of the stories fulfilling, the comedy well-timed, and the experience relevant enough to revisit.
This is the sort of thing that happens there, in that strange village where the sun pounds people's heads like a hammer and where people are known more for their brawn than their brains, but at least they respect the dead.
Don Camillo's world is a satire set in a small, backwater post-WWII northern Italian village. Our protagonist is a Catholic priest, cigar smoking, strong as an ox, and hot-headed. His nemesis is Peppone (Italian for "Big Joe", a nod to Stalin), the larger-than-life communist mayor. Don Camillo is quick to throw a punch and quick to succumb to temptation. And he speaks to his conscience in the form of the crucifix at his parish church, and Jesus dutifully responds with sober judgment at every turn.
"I do not think Machiavelli is a sacred text you should rely on exclusively," exclaimed Jesus.
What's not to be attracted to?
The vignettes generally become turf wars between Don Camillo against Peppone and his cast of idiologues, battles concerning power and influence. Pissing contests ensue amidst labor strikes and Bishop visits. The village itself has a very Old World feel to it, heavily agricultural, a close-knit community still in pain from the continental wars. Don Camillo, prone to stealing machine guns from the local communist militias, is an outsized figure. As fanciful as it seems to create such a satire, I imagine it captures some semblence of midcentury Italian culture.
Guareschi is a world-weary comedic writer who had lived through the Mussolini era, two world wars and a German prison camp. He isn't putting fascists in these stories, but he finds a lot of humor in pitting dogma against dogma. And while it's clear that he is no communist sympathizer, he puts heart into all sides of the conversation.
Old Maguggia interrupted him. "Let's get one thing clear. I'm asking for help from you, Don Camillo, a man I hold in high esteem, not you Don Camillo the priest who I must hold in low esteem because of the very fact that you are a priest."
Old Maguggia was a "veteran socialist", one of those who can't wait to die so that they can mock the priest by refusing the comforts of religion and arranging for their funerals to be accompanied by the "Internationale".
Don Camillo hid his hands behind his back and silently prayed to God that he'd be able to keep them there.
"That's fine," replied Don Camillo. "As a man I'd happily kick you out of my house, but as a priest I must help you. However, let's be clear that I'm helping you the upright citizen, not you the anti-cleric."
Humor and warmth are the main threads in these stories. But as one might expect given all the author had lived through, there is a sobering darkness to these stories too. The stories still have the feel of comedy that had experienced tragedy. It brings depth to the tales and humanity to the characters.
I suspect the translator did a very good job for this edition -- if he could conjure laughs alongside great imagery, that's a great endorsement. But I'm sure there were a lot of other bits of comedy that couldn't cross the great divide created by language, time, and space. Still, I find a lot of the stories fulfilling, the comedy well-timed, and the experience relevant enough to revisit.
This is the sort of thing that happens there, in that strange village where the sun pounds people's heads like a hammer and where people are known more for their brawn than their brains, but at least they respect the dead.
September 18, 2018
A heap of bite-sized delights!
I hadn't read any of the individual Don Camillo books, but my wife had read several of them in her youth, and spoke very fondly of them. So I bought this for her birthday, and then read it myself - and they are entirely delightful!
There are logically five books in this collection, covering the period from the early 1950s to the mid-1960s, a period in which Italy steered itself from a broken-down post-war economy to a wild and swinging destination for fashionistas. And these stories focus on Don Camillo, the priest of a small town in the valley of the river Po, and Peppone, the leader of the local communist party.
The stories centre around the ongoing love/hate relationship between Don Camillo and Peppone. Both love their town, but fight madly over what the best path to its success might be. The characters evolve beautifully over the years, and other characters make regular appearances, so you get to know them too. Also important are Don Camillo's mental conversations with Jesus, who admonishes him when he errs, and tweaks his nose when he gets too big for his boots.
Each individual story is short - 5-10 pages - but charming. Many are built around some aspect of the small town life, and almost all are driven by the political tensions between the communists and religion. Indeed, my favourite set of stories was the "Comrade Don Camillo" book of stories, as Don Camillo inveigles his way onto a sightseeing trip around Soviet Russia, organised by the communist party in Italy.
I hadn't read any of the individual Don Camillo books, but my wife had read several of them in her youth, and spoke very fondly of them. So I bought this for her birthday, and then read it myself - and they are entirely delightful!
There are logically five books in this collection, covering the period from the early 1950s to the mid-1960s, a period in which Italy steered itself from a broken-down post-war economy to a wild and swinging destination for fashionistas. And these stories focus on Don Camillo, the priest of a small town in the valley of the river Po, and Peppone, the leader of the local communist party.
The stories centre around the ongoing love/hate relationship between Don Camillo and Peppone. Both love their town, but fight madly over what the best path to its success might be. The characters evolve beautifully over the years, and other characters make regular appearances, so you get to know them too. Also important are Don Camillo's mental conversations with Jesus, who admonishes him when he errs, and tweaks his nose when he gets too big for his boots.
Each individual story is short - 5-10 pages - but charming. Many are built around some aspect of the small town life, and almost all are driven by the political tensions between the communists and religion. Indeed, my favourite set of stories was the "Comrade Don Camillo" book of stories, as Don Camillo inveigles his way onto a sightseeing trip around Soviet Russia, organised by the communist party in Italy.
August 13, 2020
I first read Don Camillo in my early twenties, forty years ago, and for a long time I kept a copy of the stories beside my bed. On those nights when sleep came slowly I could dip in and out and find some peace of mind.
Don Camillo, Peppone and several other recurring characters fought in the Italian Resistance during WWII. Don Camillo is a priest and Peppone the Communist Lord Mayor of the little Po Valley town of Mondo Piccolo.
And Christ on the Cross speaks to Don Camillo.
Guareschi is clearly on the side of Don Camillo, but that simplifies the relationship between two protagonists - they share a common humanity, and a bond of friendship that was forged and hardened during wartime.
Both can be hotheaded, Peppone, in particular, can find himself in real trouble and personal danger because of his orders from Moscow, and Don Camillo just cannot back down from a challenge. Not to mention card-playing and hunting with a rifle and a dog!
Both Don Camillo and Peppone are large, strong men, violence is never far away but mostly avoided. Peppone realises that Don Camillo has the edge in physical strength, but Don Camillo (sometimes reminded by Christ) tries to restrain himself.
It has always been odd to me - an atheist since my teens - that I love these books so much, but I came to realise over time that the stories are not about the triumph of Christianity over Communism but rather the triumph of humanity over cruelty, ignorance and brutality.
Some stories are better than others - Don Camillo's visit to Russia always struck me as forced - but I would recommend that, like I did over the decades, you just dip in and try a few stories before making up your mind.
P.S. The BBC made a series, with Brian Blessed as Don Camillo, I only ever saw one episode but it struck me as a faithful representation.
Don Camillo, Peppone and several other recurring characters fought in the Italian Resistance during WWII. Don Camillo is a priest and Peppone the Communist Lord Mayor of the little Po Valley town of Mondo Piccolo.
And Christ on the Cross speaks to Don Camillo.
Guareschi is clearly on the side of Don Camillo, but that simplifies the relationship between two protagonists - they share a common humanity, and a bond of friendship that was forged and hardened during wartime.
Both can be hotheaded, Peppone, in particular, can find himself in real trouble and personal danger because of his orders from Moscow, and Don Camillo just cannot back down from a challenge. Not to mention card-playing and hunting with a rifle and a dog!
Both Don Camillo and Peppone are large, strong men, violence is never far away but mostly avoided. Peppone realises that Don Camillo has the edge in physical strength, but Don Camillo (sometimes reminded by Christ) tries to restrain himself.
It has always been odd to me - an atheist since my teens - that I love these books so much, but I came to realise over time that the stories are not about the triumph of Christianity over Communism but rather the triumph of humanity over cruelty, ignorance and brutality.
Some stories are better than others - Don Camillo's visit to Russia always struck me as forced - but I would recommend that, like I did over the decades, you just dip in and try a few stories before making up your mind.
P.S. The BBC made a series, with Brian Blessed as Don Camillo, I only ever saw one episode but it struck me as a faithful representation.
January 10, 2021
Absolutely excellent. This is a series of short stories written for a magazine in 1950s Italy. They are primarily comedic and concern the village priest and the communist mayor of a small village. Their conflicts and collusions are entertaining as they try to do the best for their town. I think the main message and themes are about conflict and not hating your political opponents which is still relevant today. In particular the last three stories conclude in a very poignant moment between the two characters. Other favourite stories of mine included: rustic philosophy, city types and Juliet and Romeo.
A couple of criticisms are that the first few stories are not as strong and it is important to bear in mind that Jesus shouldn't be interpreted as Jesus but as the conscience of the author which is why he may feel off if you don't have quite the same interpretation of Jesus as the author. Otherwise the character development is a bit slow and the characters are not particularly complex but given it is written as a sitcom style serial for a satirical magazine this is to be expected.
It also contains a short biographical piece about the author who seems to have been a very impressive person.
A couple of criticisms are that the first few stories are not as strong and it is important to bear in mind that Jesus shouldn't be interpreted as Jesus but as the conscience of the author which is why he may feel off if you don't have quite the same interpretation of Jesus as the author. Otherwise the character development is a bit slow and the characters are not particularly complex but given it is written as a sitcom style serial for a satirical magazine this is to be expected.
It also contains a short biographical piece about the author who seems to have been a very impressive person.
September 11, 2019
It’s flat. Don Camillo’s world. Flat. Flatter than Norfolk. Flatter than the Netherlands. Flatter than a table. Completely, unrelentingly flat.
That world is the flood plain of the River Po, Emilia Romagna in Italy. The soil there, nourished by thousands of years of effluvium from the flooding Po, is the richest in Italy. Bologna, the provincial capital, has the best food in the country. But these are the stories of the people of the plain, of the farmers and mechanics and one large, ham-handed priest who suffer through the unrelenting glare of the summer, then suffer through the rising fog and the long damp of the winter. It was a malarial land, dangerous as well as bountiful, and its people were touched by its geography: harsh, generous, superstitious and pious. My relatives live there now, and it hasn’t changed so much since Don Camillo’s days in the middle of the 20th century. Yes, it’s richer, the coast is tourified, but the geography is still overwhelming.
Read these stories for a glimpse into an old Italy that still lurks, barely covered, beneath the new Italy.
That world is the flood plain of the River Po, Emilia Romagna in Italy. The soil there, nourished by thousands of years of effluvium from the flooding Po, is the richest in Italy. Bologna, the provincial capital, has the best food in the country. But these are the stories of the people of the plain, of the farmers and mechanics and one large, ham-handed priest who suffer through the unrelenting glare of the summer, then suffer through the rising fog and the long damp of the winter. It was a malarial land, dangerous as well as bountiful, and its people were touched by its geography: harsh, generous, superstitious and pious. My relatives live there now, and it hasn’t changed so much since Don Camillo’s days in the middle of the 20th century. Yes, it’s richer, the coast is tourified, but the geography is still overwhelming.
Read these stories for a glimpse into an old Italy that still lurks, barely covered, beneath the new Italy.
February 11, 2019
This book is a collection of stories featuring, Don camillo, a burly, earthy and deeply conservative catholic priest and his opponernt, the communist mayor of the village, Peppone. The stories are set in a village on the Po river valley of Italy in the immediate post war years. Catholics and communists had formed a united front in fighting off Fascism and nazism during world war 2 but once the war got over they find themselves at loggerheads. Although the conflicts between Don Camillo and Peppone always are on substantial issues, these are ultimately resolved in a good natured way; often with Peppone giving way. These are amusing stories that prove that there is a shared humanity that can bridge polittical and ideoplogical divides.
Reading this book, in Kerala, India, where communism and catholicism are deeply rooted, this book has great resonance.
Reading this book, in Kerala, India, where communism and catholicism are deeply rooted, this book has great resonance.
June 6, 2021
I got this book as a gift and it was a funny, heartwarming, enchanting little story, unlike anything I have read.
Set in Italy around 1946 and 1947, this book tells stories of a local priest, Don Camillo and the local Communist Mayor Peppone. They have quite the rivalry, with Don Camillo not being in favor of Peppone's Communist actions or beliefs. They have quarrels regarding just about everything, with Don Camillo coming out on top, mostly.
Each chapter is a new short story about a different event, such as the procession during a religious festival, or the baptism of Peppone's son. Little snippets of village life in Italy after World War II. There is a continuity as well though, the book proceeds in a chronological order, and older stories are referenced in the newer ones.
A unique, enjoyable book.
Set in Italy around 1946 and 1947, this book tells stories of a local priest, Don Camillo and the local Communist Mayor Peppone. They have quite the rivalry, with Don Camillo not being in favor of Peppone's Communist actions or beliefs. They have quarrels regarding just about everything, with Don Camillo coming out on top, mostly.
Each chapter is a new short story about a different event, such as the procession during a religious festival, or the baptism of Peppone's son. Little snippets of village life in Italy after World War II. There is a continuity as well though, the book proceeds in a chronological order, and older stories are referenced in the newer ones.
A unique, enjoyable book.
February 11, 2024
I'll admit that part of my rating reflects my Italian heritage and the nostalgic memory of my first experience with the Little World about 45 years ago when my friend Jim L. loaned me the books. This time, I opened the book with a preconception that I going to like it again.
Truthfully, this time the book didn't quite hit all the marks that I expected. Nevertheless, the short stories, somewhat linked one to the next, tweaked my heartstrings with the conversations where Don Camillo engaged the crucified Christ and, differently, the Communist Mayor Peppone to improve the lot of the people in the little town. Somehow, the little world of the town was improved when the polar opposites collided. It's a great human story.
Truthfully, this time the book didn't quite hit all the marks that I expected. Nevertheless, the short stories, somewhat linked one to the next, tweaked my heartstrings with the conversations where Don Camillo engaged the crucified Christ and, differently, the Communist Mayor Peppone to improve the lot of the people in the little town. Somehow, the little world of the town was improved when the polar opposites collided. It's a great human story.
March 19, 2018
I was introduced to Don Camillo many years ago at school and delighted to find this new edition. And equally delighted to find it isn't alone - there is a sequel, and more than 300 stories altogether, some never before available in English. I really enjoy the way Don Camillo and Peppone are apparently enemies, total opposites yet really best friends, both working for the good of others. And the way they are both hot headed, rush into things from the best of intentions - but they work it out in the end.
May 10, 2024
Wasn't sure about it when I picked it up - it's the next book on the list from a book club that I belong to. I wasn't keen on the front cover, OBserver quote or the length of the introduction...however, I went in...
...and thoroughly enjoyed it! I enjoyed it from the introduction. The development of the character and their relationship are to be admired - the historical setting adds to this as well.
My favourite story was 'Autumn' as it gave you so much about the life journey of the two men and it had a real honesty to it.
...and thoroughly enjoyed it! I enjoyed it from the introduction. The development of the character and their relationship are to be admired - the historical setting adds to this as well.
My favourite story was 'Autumn' as it gave you so much about the life journey of the two men and it had a real honesty to it.
October 26, 2019
Communism vs Catholicism in the Po valley in Post war Italy. In the form of Mayor Peppino and his supporters up against local priest Don Camillo and talking Jesus. Delivered in charming pint sized tales, goes to show how two men at opposite ends of the spectrum, constantly bickering and trying to one up one another, were not so different from each other after all. I have a feeling this is a book I’ll read multiple times
January 2, 2023
I have already read several Don Camillo stories, but I really enjoyed this edition featuring several stories previously unpublished in English. I just love Camillo's interactions with Jesus, and also the odd but unbreakable friendship he has with Peppone. Very interesting preface from the author as well. I would definitely recommend this book, although some of the stories are quite sad.
June 15, 2023
I was delighted to find the Don Camillo stories still in print. I read every single collection back in the '50s and '60s. But do they hold up 50 years later? Short answer, "YES!"
The ongoing affectionate feud between a small-town Communist mayor and the local Catholic priest offers a quite singular (and hilarious) comparison of the low and high notes of Christianity and Communism.
The ongoing affectionate feud between a small-town Communist mayor and the local Catholic priest offers a quite singular (and hilarious) comparison of the low and high notes of Christianity and Communism.
July 5, 2023
Wonderful and humorous stories of everyday life in a small Italian village in the Lower Plains after World War 2. Each chapter is a small story involving the village priest, the hot-headed Don Camillo, the equally hot-headed Communist Mayor (and village mechanic) Peppone, and the wise Jesus on the Cross who is both Don Camillo’s conscience and guide in life.
September 4, 2017
This is a great book.
Really nice quirky little stories of the rivalry between the local priest and the local (communist) mayor in a small village in rural Italy.
A great book for dipping into now and again.
Really nice quirky little stories of the rivalry between the local priest and the local (communist) mayor in a small village in rural Italy.
A great book for dipping into now and again.
April 1, 2023
Don Camillo is the good that we all strive to be while fighting the inner bad within us. Sometimes we lose that battle but that does not define who or what we are as long as we continue to focus on the good and try to move others towards what is right!
July 2, 2017
A fantastic revival of the Don Camillo stories, I enjoyed revisiting the adventures and the recent additions were gratefully received into the tales.
September 4, 2017
Surprised how much I like these stories that are centered around villagers in post war Italy. Humor mixed with morality.
May 1, 2019
3.5 stars. A nice compact collection of some funny stories that are relatable to those who have come across rural Italian life. Otherwise, a bit dry in various parts and almost seminarial in others.
June 15, 2020
At times things were lost in translation, but I enjoyed the antics of Don Camillo and Peppone.
June 20, 2020
Just re read this - read it as a teenager. Loved getting reacquainted with Don Camillo and Peppone and their world. Love the humour
June 25, 2020
Delightful little stories, reflective of a politically explosive era in modern European history.
February 6, 2021
Absolutely loved it! Great characters, lots of humor, heart warming, with a little bit of wisdom. I'm ordering all the other books from the series right away.
March 20, 2022
Pleasant stories of an Italian priest and his nemesis, the communist mayor
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