Customer Reviews (3)

Butting Heads in 50's Italy!
Presenting the eternal stuggle between--well, not exactly Good vs Evil, but Catholicism and Communism, this 4th Don Comillo book contines the delightful political tensions Guareschi created when he introduced readers to his "little world"--located in the Po River valley.In 23 mostly unrelated episodes
Don Camillo squares off in passionate battles against: the equally irrascible Mayor, Peppone, as well as with stubborn peasants, gossipy villagers, his own church superiors and even himself. Yet in moments of anguish or crisis he pours out his heart to the Christ on the crucifix in his church, who listens with compasison, speaking so that only the burly priest hears and understands.Ah, but will he prove contrite or obedient
to the wisdom of his Lord?

Hot-tempered, robust and occasionally self-indulgent (cigars, hunting, his dog) this village priest is as often embroiled in public debates with the representative of temporal authority (the Communist mayor) as in private attacks of conscience.But don't be fooled by the apparent enmity between these two hard-headed leaders of opposing
views (the Reds vs the Whites); the two stongest men daily butt heads and seek to outdo or discredit each other--which is only to be expected.Fortunately though, when the chips are down, these two--no longer priest and mayor--demonstrate their true friendship and Christian charity, loyalty and respect.Though neither would ever admit such human weakness in public!Guareschi has created a gentle, amusing little world of his own--for children of all ages.

You Don't have to be Italian to Love this
This Character is from my parents generation - I discovered him in the 1970's and am happy to see him back today. Christianity and humor make a wonderful mix in these stories.Human nature never changes - a little bit of the cold war here.Historical novel.

Fiesty priest and Communist mayor still going strong
Giovanni Guareschi's beloved Don Camillo and Peppone may be pushing 60, but in this, thefourth book chronicling their adventures, theycontinue to fight their battles with the samevigor that we've seen in them over the course ofthe previous three entries in the series.

It's the late 1950's, and new wrinkles haveappeared in the fabric of life in their ruralItalian village in the Po Valley.These include,for Peppone, the ramifications of the de- Stalinization of the USSR.The Red Mayor isloath to turn away from his former hero (not tomention that big picture of said hero, on thefacade of the town's Party headquarters), butorders are orders ...Speaking of which, theBishop has sent Don Camillo yet *another*unwanted curate with too many new ideas.Butnever fear: all problems in the Little World aredispatched with the usual efficiency by ourdynamic duo, who have each apparently decidedthat it's better the devil you know ... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Best version?
Fantastic, heartwarming, touching and funny.You'll return to it again and again.

But if you want to look the book out, make sure you find a copy with an introduction by the author and three stories,entitled First Story, Second Story and Third Story.Of all the Don Camillo stories these are the ones that always stay with me....

I grew up and then I grew old reading this book - over and over.
After almost 60 years, I still have the teddy bear I grew up with (actually, its a rubber goat). It makes me sad that I don't have my first copy of Don Camillo to keep beside it. That is how much I value the `Little World' and `Return of' Don Camillo books. I must have read them at least 25 times over the years, and only wish I could forget them in order to experience reading them again for the first time. These are two books you will either hate, or love--and read again and again.

A Superb Must Read
This is one MUST BUY book. I've read it more than a dozen times. I got my first copy from a dusty bookshelf of my bestfriend. Then later I bought my own copy here in Amazon.Com. It's about an Italian Catholic priest don Camillo who is forever at odds with his comrade/friend/enemy Don Peppone. their dialogues are supremely funny and I cannot add more because you have to read it to appreciate it. But buy it just the same.

A little piece of the world . . .
This little book is filled with quick-reading short chapters which eachimpart a bit of wisdom and a moral or biblical lesson, and always with humor.

The story format is short tales in the ongoing feud between village priest Don Camillo and communist mayor Peppone. One of them often ends up bruised (literally or figuratively).At first blush it would seem like a good vs evil scenario, but really they are very much alike, and secretly sympathize with (even love)one another.Each struggles through life's choices from the perspective of his own situation.

One of the best parts, for me, is that each battle-du-jour includes Camillo's "consultation" with and reception of "advice" from the Christ image at the church altar. Rich stuff.Of course the image is not really speaking, and this technique is the author's metaphor for the working of the Holy Spirit in Camillo (or "his conscience", depending on your own theological perspective).

The theme runs throughout the book.Each chapter in pretty much a stand-alone story, although a few chapters are coupled, dealing with an ongoing incident.An entertaining little read that is a superior choice to those "thought-for-the-day" motivational/religious pamphlets.I read mine a chapter at a time when going to bed for the night.It gave me a truth to ponder as I dropped off . . . zzzzzzzz.Or maybe install a copy in your bathroom book rack. This book is very Italian and very Catholic . . . but you needn't be either to enjoy it (I'm not).

The Little World of Don Camillo
The Little World of Don Camillo by Giovanni Guareschi is the story of a remarkable priest in a small Italian village. Father Camillo periodically checks his plans and recent behavior in emotional conversations with the Lord, revealing simultaneously a certain delightful irreverence and a basic Christian humility. He wages ceaseless war on the local Leftists, particularly their leader, Mayor Peppone. Although the good father must occasionally resort to a well-aimed kick or a thunderous right cross to maintain strict adherence to proper religious and humanitarian principles, he keeps his congregation unified despite political differences. He has, as the author puts it, "a constitutional preference for calling a spade a spade."
--- from book's back cover ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Excellent collection of very enjoyable stories
Set in post WW2 Italy, Guareschi sketches the trials and tribulations of Don Camilo, parish priest, and his interactions with the Communist Mayor, the villagers and Christ, who talks through the Church crucifix. The stories often see Don Camillo and Peppone locked in fierce battle, sometimes in a fistfight, but always looking for a solution that appeals to their common humanity and their consciences - and never will they do so without bringing a broad smile to your face. The stories are simply delightful, and in a way timeless, as human nature changes little at its core.

This omnibus contains many stories that were incorporated into the various Don Camillo movies (the black&white ones with Fernandel, and the later adaptation with Terrence Hill), but the written product is better. The omnibus contains 'The little world of Don camillo', 'Don Camillo and His Flock' and 'Don Camillo's dilemma', the latter two without their introductions. Bound in sturdy hardcover, this omnibus is one that should be read, and reread at least every decade. It will never disappoint - Don Camillo is a hilarious treat over and over again.

NB: Amazon lists this title as temporarily out of stock. Inside the omnibus, it is mentioned that it was a print run of only 80 copies; it is not clear if that applies to this edition of the omnibus or an earlier version (this omnibus is a reprint of an older version, though one of very high quality). New copies might be hard to get, sadly.

Not a Vatican II Priest, Thank God
Don Camillo is great -- a veteran of WWI and the Resistance, he smokes (cigars), drinks, gets into fist-fights with his arch-enemy and, surprisingly, arch-friend Peppino, and keeps stealing machine guns from the Communists.Fr. Camillo is a friend of the working people and so is bitterly opposed to Communism, and is not shy about any of the above.

Giovanni Guareschi, who deserves a biography, employs Fr. Camillo and the Communist Peppone to tell delightful little moral stories set in the Po Valley of Italy.

The omnibus volume I bought is a reprint of a reprint but is still quite legible.I carried my copy on a long road trip, and it made the miles and the hotel rooms (except that one Motel He[ck] in Arizona) much easier.

Don Camillo
My mother was very pleased to receive this edition of the Don Camillo collection on Mother's Day. She is enjoying the stories she read years ago once again thanks to the availability of the many old and new publications through Amazon. Thank you.

Gentle humour
For some strange reason, the Don Camillo series is hard to get. Guareschi is in the small category of authors whose works shine with a gentle, simple humour. Think of him as an Italian James Herriot or PG Wodehouse. I suspect that the English translation dampens some of the verbal gymsastics (aka Wodehouse), but the stories still shine through with a charming simplicity.

Each story will bring a smile to your lips.

Buy every Don Camillo book you can find!
I was about 12 when my father brought me home a copy of "The Little World of Don Camillo",and I couldn't put it down.Over the years I have searched high and low for more of these delightful stories (with varying success).They have the attraction of being interesting,humourous and heartwarming all at the same time,and have a great appeal for children and adults alike.They also show a real understanding of human nature and the human condition.Often when I feel a little low I pick up Don Camillo and cheer myself up again.

The stories are set in a little village on the Po river in Italy soon after the end of World War II (note that some stories are set later than this,although most are set in this time period).They deal with the never-ending rivalry between the local parish priest,Don Camillo,and the communist Mayor,Peppone.I really can't recommend these stories highly enough. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Tales of Giovanni Guareschi's own "Little World"
The Italian journalist/cartoonist/poet Giovanni Guareschi (1908-1968) isbest known for his series of stories featuring "Don Camillo" and"Peppone," the priest and Communist mayor who spend the yearsfollowing WWII locked in serio-comic battle for the souls of the people intheir small village.But Guareschi wrote another series of stories, which(like the Don Camillo stories) were first published as a continuingmagazine feature and later collected into books.This other series starredthe author himself, along with stylized versions of his wife and children,in humorous accounts of middle-class Italian home life in the 1940's, 50'sand 60's.Think Erma Bombeck or Dave Barry (or perhaps the morechronologically apt "Please Don't Eat the Daisies"), and you'vegot the idea.

"My Home, Sweet Home" is the second of the threecollections of Guareschi family stories to be published in English.In itwe meet Giovannino, mustachioed journalist who, when not working in Milan,is hapless head of a household which includes wife Margherita (a classic50's sitcom housewife, forever confounding her more worldly husband with asubversive and lop-sided home-bred logic) and their children--seriousAlbertino and strong-willed Carlotta (aka "La Pasionaria").Thesituations range from the slapstick (Giovannino learns that it hurts justas much to fall off of a brand-new, expensive ladder as the other kind) tothe poignant (it's Pasionaria's first day of kindergarten, and her fatherisn't ready to let go).When indifferent cook Margherita decides to bake abirthday cake, the rest of the family steps in to "help."Whenthe family is somehow saddled with a bogus 1000-lire note, they work invain to unload it.And so on, all told with that light irony and deephumanity that make all of Guareschi's writing so appealing.

Here's onesitcom family I'd have loved to have seen on television. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Don Camilo
This is a wonderful book.It can be read any number of times. Still it does not lose its innate humour and charm.As a political satire it is even better than any of George Orwell's books.A book for all times and for all ages. Human foibles and weaknesses and Divine Virtues are abundantly portrayed in this book.It makes fun of the Catholic Church as well as the Communists.A truly inspiring work. I am only sorry that I do not know Italian.Since to read it in the original language would give the greatest pleasure.If anyone is not satisfied after reading it.Tell me .I will buy it from you. I have given this book away to many of my friends and foes alike.
yours sincerely ,
Diljit C.Shah,E-mail:diljitshah@yahoo.co.in.

A one-man-stand against Communism in post-war Italy
I'm not sure exactly what's supposed to be thespecific "dilemma" alluded to in the title ofthis book, for (happily) things seem to be much as ever in this third collection of stories from Giovanni Guareschi's Little World of DonCamillo.Perhaps our favorite hot-temperedparish priest's problem is, as always, defeatingCommunism while still nurturing the communistswhom he sees as part of his flock.Or, perhaps,it's fighting the dirty battle against Communismwithout fighting dirty himself--though if *this* is his goal, Don Camillo still has a long way togo to reach it! :-)

Still, when he's not asking forgiveness for hismethods, he can be found diligently attending tothe needs of his parishoners, from assisting themayor in his attempt to pass the eighth grade, to investigating rumors of a town ghost.Communist Mayor Peppone is also in fine form in this book,as he must deal with a "ghost" from his own past, as well as face the wrath of his family when the Party cancels Christmas.

Once again, Guareschi charms and delights the reader with his whimsical stories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Worth reading and rereading and rereading
I have just finished rereading this book for the umpteenth time.
Even after all these readings, the lump in my throat and the tears in my eyes
are bigger than ever.The humor is gentle.The characters are so beautiful
and lovable that youfeel a close friendship with them.I love all the
Don Camillo books, but this one to me is far and away the best.

I recommend "With God in Russia" by Father Walter Ciszek SJ who writes
about his time in the Russian prison (for being a priest) and his experiences
after his sentence was complete, but he was not allowed to leave the country.

All I can say about both these books is:

If you have a heart it will be touched.

Good laughs guaranteed
Please see my review for the Don Camillo and His Flock.Same is applicable, great read for a good laugh.

Read this book!
I love all the Don Camillo books, but this one is my favorite and was the first I read.Don Camillo is an anti-communist (pro-Christ) priest from a little village in the Po River vally.His nemesis is his fellow villager, Peppone.The town blacksmith, mayor, and leader of the local communist party.

In general, the satire is not overdone (as so much conservative work is now), because the author actually chides Don Camillo (sometimes in the voice of Christ who speaks to Camillo from statues) for over-ardency.It's clear that the real sympathy is for people.But is anti-communist.

This book is one that is more clearly anti-communist as a group of Italians visits the USSR and comes to grip with the truth of communist practice.Camillo worms his way into the group and is successful in turning many of the group against communism or towards Christ or towards old Italy.The whole thing reminds me of the Heinlein essays on his trip to Russia in 1960.

Note:Do not worry that this book will be overly political.If you are anyone from the old anticommunist Democrat to the current right, you will love this book.The tone and warmth is really pleasant.Also, it has little insights about the history of WW2 and Italy and the like.

A little gem exposes the Soviet Union
I hadn't read any Don camillo books since high school. Since where I live, no library has Guareshi books, I shelled out the money for 'Comrade Don Camillo' and wasn't disapointed. Even if you have not read any of Don Camillo's adventures, no matter, as you Guareshi immediately pulls you into his world. There is a chuckle on every page (small chuckles, but nonetheless). Here father Camillo finagles his way onto a communist-sponsored trip to the Soviet Union and sets upon frustrating/annoying Peppone--all to allow the Italian comrades on the trip to see the light. There is even a quite touching episode concerning an Italian and his Polish wife stuck in rural Soviet Union. Setting part of it in the Soviet Union allowed Guareshi to take the gloves off againts communism at another point--although never in a way that detracted from his humor.

I was thinking of giving it four stars. Reason? Too short. Dreaded turning each page, knowing that I was coming closer to finishing the book.

The book I received was a shrink-wrapped, new book, printed years ago, without a dust cover.

A blast from the past
I read this book when I was only thirteen, which wasn't old enough to grasp all of the subtleties in Guareschi's political and cultural satire and humor, but I did get some of it, despite my basically still being a kid. The book pokes fun at both Italian and Soviet politics through the antics of the irrepressible Comrade Camillo, a mischievous priest who has his own agenda in accepting the invitation to visit the Soviet Union. Guareschi wrote a number of other successful books, including a series of Don Camillo books, but I don't know how many of them were translated into English. If there were, I never saw any of them, but I enjoyed this one, and it now stands as a window into another era of Cold War politics that is rapidly receding in the wake of the Berlin Wall's coming down and now the events of of 9/11. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

"Clash of the Titans"Continues
This second of Giovanni Guareschi's "Don Camillo"books delivers more humorous tales featuring thebig, outspoken priest and his opposite number inthe Communist camp.With the Cold War in fullswing, and both America and Russia sendingsupplies and representatives in an effort to winthe people's allegiance, it's up to Don Camilloand his arch-rival Mayor Peppone to negotiate a particularly Italian brand of peace for theirlittle village.

Whether their aim is to help get a local boy hisbig break in show business, to defend athoroughbred dog from a cruel master, or toinsure that no one in the Little World goeshungry when it can be prevented, this team provesthat sometimes there's no friend like a goodenemy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Don Camillo
Don Camillo est le prete d'un charmant village. Pepone est le maire du village et il est communiste. Les deux hommes qui ne sont fait que pour s'entendre se trouve donc separer par la politique. Il se produit alors un delicieux melange de magouille politique, de chicane de clocher mais le bon sens finit toujours par l'emporter pour le bien de tout le village. Le tout est drole, charmant situe dans un monde ou le bon sens n'a pas toujours le dernier mot. J'essaie de completer ma collection de cet excellent auteur. ... Read more