The Little World of Don Camillo - Giovanni Guareschi
Translated from Italian by Una Vincenzo Troubridge.
I didn't really know what I was getting into at the start of this book! A friend at church lent it to me (thanks Natalie!) saying she thought I'd enjoy it, so I had a read. I did enjoy it, but its an odd little thing.
After a few short introductory stories told from the point of view of the (fictionalised?) author as a child or a young man, we are introduced to the Catholic priest Don Camillo and his 'little world' aka, the village of which he is priest.
Don Camillo is an interesting figure. He is quick to anger, he is not above using threats or deception to get his own way, and he is a powerful fighter. He is also often in dialogue with 'the Lord above the altar' - an icon of Jesus who speaks to him as God. The fact that this is indeed the icon rather than merely 'God anywhere' is highlighted in a few stories, where the Lord's voice echoes out of the church to Don Camillo when he is outside, or when the Lord asks Don Camillo what has happened somewhere when the priest returns.
Don Camillo and the Lord above the altar make up two of the three main characters in the book; the third is Peppone, who is both mayor of the village (elected fairly early on in the book) and the head of the local communist party. Like Don Camillo, Peppone is quick to anger and not above using violence, and the two humans butt heads throughout the stories that unfold, while also showing an underlying respect for one another.
Most of the chapters do read like self-contained stories, although there are occasional references to earlier events in later chapters, and the final few do build up a little bit more of an ongoing flow (and even mild tension). Similar structures to the stories also often occur: Peppone and the communists will do something on Camillo disapproves of; Don Camillo will say a snarky comment or refuse to help, but later help anyhow; he will moan his lot to the Lord above the altar who will remind him of his Christian duty; eventually something will happen that helps Don Camillo see the Lord's wisdom in events unfolding as they did.
Its enjoyable, and at times thought provoking. I read a few passages out to Elise when something particularly tickled my humour in mildly challenging manner - most of these moments come from the Lord above the altar, but Don Camillo also has moments to shine.
Odd, but interesting.
Completed 12 July 2021.
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