Elio Vittorini is one of the most significant Italian intellectuals of the last century as his fiction and his writings are fundamental to understanding how Italian literature developed after World War II. Vittorini’s experience as a novelist, translator, literary critic, and editor crosses major historical events that took place in Italy during his lifetime. Besides being the author of
Conversazione in Sicilia[Conversation in Sicily] (1938), considered one of the masterpieces of pre-World War II literature, he became the editor of major publishing houses such as Bompiani and Mondadori, promoting many young and talented writers like Beppe Fenoglio and Italo Calvino.
Vittorini was born in Siracusa, Sicily, in a working-class family. His father was employed by the national railroad
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Citation: Mazzola, Claudio. "Elio Vittorini". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 October 2020 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=14626, accessed 31 October 2024.]
