Scenes from a Roman Century

Description

Hollywood film stars, fascist assassins. Bombs on San Lorenzo, la dolce vita on Via Veneto. Baroque fountains, umbrella pines. Urban planning, unregulated house-building. After half a century living in Rome, David Lane turns his eye on events and streetscapes in the Eternal City over the past 100 years.

Scenes from a Roman Century begins with the 1924 murder of Giacomo Matteotti—the beginning of the end for interwar democracy—and ends with the organised crime and political violence of our own era. It sketches Rome’s growth under Mussolini’s dictatorship, and its fortunes during the Second World War; the economic miracle of the post-war decades; and Rome’s latest transformations through the turn of the millennium.

Lane sends readers meandering down the alleys, out towards the suburbs and to stand before the monumental architecture, capturing cultural and political moments from Rome’s past and present. He explores fascism’s material legacy across the city, terrorism and political extremism on the right and left, and the struggle to manage economic growth’s burdens—ugly urban sprawl, and the crush of mass tourism in the historic centre. As pilgrims descend for the 2025 jubilee declared by Pope Francis, what is next for this ever-changing city of history?

Reviews

‘David Lane brings Rome’s twentieth century brilliantly to life through the people who made history there, from Mussolini to his murdered opponent Matteotti, from Fellini to Tennessee Williams, from Ottorino Respighi to an array of political rogues.’ — Bill Emmott, former editor of The Economist, and author of Good Italy, Bad Italy

‘With skilful telling of people and places, Lane offers an engaging, personal portrait of Rome in the Fascist and post-1945 eras. The weaving in of the unfamiliar and unexpected only adds further appeal to this distinctive history of the city.’ — Peter J. Williamson, author of Duce: The Contradictions of Power

‘David Lane guides readers through the grime and glamour of Rome’s momentous past century with a narrative as captivating as the Eternal City’s storied streets and historic monuments, now facing the threat of over-tourism.’ — Mario Erasmo, author of Strolling Through Rome: The Definitive Walking Guide to the Eternal City 

‘Scenes of a Roman Century immediately made me reflect on my own experiences in beguiling Rome, a city with layers of history so thick that there’s a relentless feeling that so much is yet to be discovered. This beautifully vivid journey through its streets fills some of that gap, recounting 100 years of horrors and joys that have left their mark.’ — Angela Giuffrida, Rome Correspondent, The Guardian

‘Adroitly picks out the momentous moments of a century of Italian history. Lane graphically dissects the fascist “ventennio”, highlighting the murder of the left-wing opposition leader Giacomo Matteotti, and covers the glamour years of Italian film in compellingly affectionate detail. His thoughtful description of political terrorism, from left and right, in the “years of lead” is painted in vivid, memorable colours.’ — Ivor Roberts, author, diplomat and former president of Trinity College, University of Oxford

Author(s)

David Lane has lived in Rome since 1972, has written for The Guardian and the Financial Times, and was The Economist’s business and finance correspondent for Italy from 1994 to 2013. He was an officer in the Royal Navy from 1961 to 1966. His books include Berlusconi’s Shadow; Into the Heart of the Mafia; Italian Electricity; and two volumes of memoir.