The Little World of Don Camillo – Giovanni Guareschi

This is a classic example of picking up a random volume at a book fair and discovering a whole new literary corner. The Don Camillo stories are apparently very popular in Italy, although a quick online browse suggests that they are not too fashionable in English. This is the first book of many in the series.

The stories themselves are gentle vignettes revolving around the rivalry of the titular priest and the communist mayor in a small town after the war.  The third main character is a teasing, ironical God, with whom Don Camillo has regular conversations. The stories often make an unexpected twist, in particular when the cleric uses a kick in the bum or even a tommy gun to achieve his ends.