With his novels, short stories, and plays, Giovanni Verga (1840–1922) achieved renown in the Italian verismo (realist) school of writing. This outstanding selection of 12 short stories — most from the Sicilian writer's Vita dei campi (Rural Life) and Novelle rusticane (Rustic Stories) — attests to his storytelling skills.Selections include «Nedda,» a short story that initiated Verga's naturalistic depictions of Sicilian peasant life; the much-celebrated «Cavalleria Rusticana» (Rustic Chivalry), a tale of flirtation, jealousy, and a deadly duel; and «L'amante di Gramigna» (Gramigna's Mistress), a fascinating psychological study. The collection also features «Reverie,» «Jeli the Herdsman,» «Nasty Redhead,» «The She-Wolf,» «Pestilential Air,» «Possessions,» «The History of St. Joseph's Donkey,» «Dark Bread,» and «Liberty.»For this dual-language book, the editor has provided excellent new English translations on pages facing the original Italian text, as well as an informative Introduction and notes.
