Don Camillo and the Devil

This collection of short stories set in the Valley of the River Po, Italy's widest and most fertile plain, with its unique atmosphere, culture, and natural history. The author was a native of this area, and these stories reflect his life of conflict, but also his search for enlightenment. In episode after episode, the hot-headed Catholic priest, Don Camillo, and the equally pugnacious Communist mayor, Peppone, confront one another, sometimes in a serious and violent manner. But the clever bit is the way Giovanni not only engineers a resolution to this, but transforms the situation to the great benefit of the local community, so that the two men put their political convictions aside, and however, begrudgingly, develop respect for each other (from Editor's preface)