Tim Parks' books about Italy are so vivid and filled with delightful details that they can serve as a worthy substitute for reality. In this highly entertaining travelogue, Tim Parks paints an authentic portrait of the Italian way of life as it unfolds on train journeys across the country. Whether commuting on rattling regional trains, grappling with tricky ticket machines, or searching for the right platform in Milan's majestic central station, his literary gaze is always focused on the details and peculiarities. In unforgettable encounters with pedantic conductors and quirky fellow travelers, with priests and prostitutes, students and lovers, Parks captures what is so characteristic of Italian life: the obsession with speed alongside a sense of life-affirming deceleration.