North of Naples, South of Rome

Since childhood, Paolo Tullio has returned each year to his hometown of Gallinaro. Here he describes a hilariously chaotic wine competition, samples the Italian cantina, demonstrates how to roast a pig whole, instructs on market-day haggling truffle-hunting, investigates the charms scams of Naples. Tullio looks with disbelief at a tortuous bureaucracy, informs how to win a local election, observes the Catholic Church s role in daily life, reflects upon a recent earthquake that saved the valley. With fascinating detours on local buildings, history, folklore, fashion, the reader tours feasts fireworks, led by the pen ink drawings of water colorist Susan Morley.