Villatoro has noted that the story was inspired by a trip he took to Maratea to research his family history (his maternal ancestors were named Lammoglia ), though the characters themselves are fictional.
On his final train journey to Maratea, Antonio meets Eliana , a young university professor. Their conversation serves as the bridge between Antonio’s childhood memories and his present journey to "say goodbye to life". Tren a Maratea - VicenГ§ Villatoro i Lamolla - h...
The story follows , an elderly man who returns to his hometown of Maratea in southern Italy after 30 years in exile. He had originally left the village the day after the victory of World War II, having fought with the partisans . Key Narrative Elements: Villatoro has noted that the story was inspired
The novel is set in 1973 , during a real-world cholera outbreak in Naples that has the city under partial lockdown. The story follows , an elderly man who