Little Novels of Sicily, by Giovanni Verga

I wind down my literary investigation into Sicilian culture with this gem by Giovanni Verga, translated into English by D.H. Lawrence. 

These stark stories reveal the reality of many, perhaps most, Sicilians over that island’s long, dramatic history. 

They remind me that I will experience a far more opulent version of Sicily than most of its people. 

These stories reveal an enduring truth, that in the face of great beauty, life can be dark and difficult.