The novel by the outstanding Italian writer Elsa Morante (1912–1985), which excited the literary world of Europe a quarter of a century ago, is dedicated to the fate of an inconspicuous schoolteacher, waging her struggle for survival in fascist Italy during the Second World War. This is the story of a little man, interspersed with the history of “ordinary fascism” in Italy and the history of the upheavals of the outgoing century. The author captivates us with the depth of psychological insight, accuracy of descriptions, poetry of generalizations, and high humanism.