A Civil War: A History of the Italian Resistance

"A Civil War "is a history of the wartime Italian Resistance, recounted by a historian who, as a young man, took part in the struggle against Mussolini s fascist Republic. Since its publication in Italy, Claudio Pavone s masterwork has become indispensable to anyone seeking to understand this period and its continuing importance for the nation s identity.Pavone casts a sober eye on his protagonists ethical and ideological motivations. He uncovers a multilayered conflict, in which class antagonisms, patriotism and political ideals all played a part. A clear understanding of this complexity allows him to explain many details of the post-war transition, as well as the legacy of the Resistance for modern Italy. In addition to being a monumental work of scholarship, "A Civil War" is a folk history, capturing events, personalities and attitudes that were on the verge of slipping entirely out of recollection to the detriment of Italy s understanding of itself and its past."