Racconti politici

Set against the feverish optimism that swept Italy in the summer of 1866, this collection turns its gaze to the ordinary souls who answered the call to volunteer against the Austrians. The author explores the tangled motives that drove men to the front—rage at foreign oppression, a sense of national duty, and the youthful yearning for heroic adventure. Through vivid sketches of village life and military ambition, the stories illuminate the uneasy blend of idealism and sacrifice that defined the era.

The opening episode transports listeners to a modest hamlet in the Val di Intelvi, where a weather‑worn priest known as Don Remondo presides over a close‑knit community. In the dim light of a rustic tavern, a teenage boy named Ernani overhears the priest’s announcement that volunteers are being summoned. His eyes light up with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty, while his aging parents voice a more sober caution about the harsh realities of war. The scene captures the palpable tension between hope and dread that marked the first steps of many Italians toward the battlefield.