The Passenger: Rome (eBook)

The best new writing, photography, art, and reportage from and about Rome-in the series that's "e;like a literary vacation"e; (Publishers Weekly).If you believe recent chatter about Rome-in the media and by its residents-the city is on the verge of collapse. Each year, it slips further down the ranking of the world's most livable cities. To the problems faced by all large capitals-hit-and-run tourism, traffic, the divide between elegant, Airbnb-dominated city centers and run-down suburbs-in recent years Rome seems to have added a list of calamities of its own: a string of failing administrations, widespread corruption, the resurgence of fascist movements, rampant crime. A seemingly hopeless situation, perfectly symbolized by the fact that Rome currently leads the world in the number of self-combusting public buses.One might expect mass migration in the face of problems like these-yet the vast majority of Romans don't think for a second of "e;betraying"e; their hometown, and the many newcomers who've populated it in recent decades resemble the natives in the profound love that binds them to the city.The largest metropolis in Europe is a place of contradictions and opposites. We think of it as ancient, but it is profoundly modern-it was founded almost three millennia ago, but 92 per cent of its buildings have been built after 1945. To understand Rome and fix its problems, we should start considering it a normal city, not unlike Chicago or Manchester . . . just incomparably more beautiful. This volume is filled with portraits of Rome and thoughts not just on its famous past but its present and future, including:Rome doesn't judge you by Nicola Lagioia * The soul of the city by Matteo Nucci * 39 memos for a book about Rome by Francesco Piccolo * Plus: a guide to the sounds of Rome by Letizia Muratori; the feigned unrest and real malaise of the suburbs; the influence of the Vatican; the excessive power of real estate speculators and the rule of gangs; disillusioned trappers; football fans of every age, and much more . . . "e;A pleasure to read."e; -La Repubblica