Since his childhood, Simon Leyland has been fascinated by languages. Against his parents' wishes, he becomes a translator and relentlessly pursues the goal of learning all the languages spoken around the Mediterranean. From London, he follows his wife Livia to Trieste, where she has inherited a publishing house. In the city of significant literary figures, he believes he has found the ideal place for his work—until a medical error throws him off course. However, this supposed catastrophe turns out to be a turning point, allowing him to completely reorganize his life. Once again, Pascal Mercier has crafted a philosophical novel that is as moving as the Night Train to Lisbon.