150 years of united Italy: how many thousands, indeed hundreds of thousands, of novels, narratives, memoirs! from this huge deposit we have tried to to draw for each decade no more than three four pages to variously exemplary: exemplary of the spirit of the times, of their sentimental, political, cultural atmosphere. An undoubtedly reckless operation that may nevertheless be worthwhile as a suggestion of a path, as a trace of an itinerary. As an indication to look in a new way at a history that is our history, at a country that was and remains our country.

Ernesto Galli della Loggia

‍