This reads like a screenplay from one of those 1940's war time propaganda films. It's got the tough but benevolent US major who brings American democractic values to the simple folk of an Sicilian town recently liberated from the fascists. It's got the stereotyped Italians, a few ignorant Americans like the general responsible for the territory, and lots of feel good stories. Apparently it was made into a film in 1946. I don't know how it won the Pulitzer; must have been a thin year.

I enjoyed this book - the characters were believable, the descriptions vivid, and the plot moved along at a good pace. I found that the author painted a very good picture of the main characters so that the reader really came to admire him in most aspects, but he still had his flaws which kept him human. Overall a solid read.