by Giovanni Verga (Author), Stanley Appelbaum (Translator)
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.
Author Biography
Stanley Appelbaum served for decades as Dover's Editor in Chief until his retirement in 1996. He continues to work as a selector, compiler, editor, and translator of literature in a remarkable range of languages that includes Spanish, Italian, French, German, and Russian.