This representative collection of works by the late Elio Vittorini (1908-1966) brings under a single cover three short novels. The Twilight of the Elephant ( II Sempione strizza l'occhio al Fr?jus , 1946) is a haunting, mythlike tale bearing strong affinities with music and abstract art. It is the story of a poverty-stricken family and its extraordinary grandfather--a veritable "elephant" of a man. One of the recognized classics of modern literature,...