Vittorini, Elio (1908–1966)

Italian novelist, critic, and translator. He founded the review Il Politecnico 1945 and had considerable influence on the post-war Italian literary scene. His novels include Il garofano rosso/The Red Carnation 1948 (written 1933–35), Conversazione in Sicilia/Conversations in Sicily 1939, Uomini e no 1945, and Diario in pubblico 1957.

Vittorini was born in Syracuse, Sicily. He joined an underground communist group in Milan and became the director of L'Unità. His early literary works were blocked by the hostile fascist authorities.

He also translated works by William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, and D H Lawrence into Italian.