3469. Bread and Wine, by Ignazio Silone (read Aug 7, 2001) This was written in 1936 when it was not permitted to be published in Fascist Italy, and was revised by Silone in 1962. Silone was a Communist from 1921 to 1931, and one of the six authors of The God That Failed--which book I read with great appreciation Mar 21, 1952. Bread and Wine was significant when Fascism was a pertinent topic, but I was not very moved by the novel, which is talky and subtle. But I had a copy of it at home, and had never read it, so I thought I would, since it is, or was, a "significant" book. ( )

A rich book of oppression in Italy prior to World War II; surprisingly humorous, but ultimately tragic. ( )