Italy, 1990. Seeking a new start after a broken relationship, Matthew Roberti settles in the provinces under the shadow of one of the world's most famous monuments, a towering symbol of perseverance under the twists and turns of fate. With humor and irony, the author recounts his descent into the labyrinth of Italian bureaucracy in his quest to marry the love of his life, as he is nearly drafted into the Italian Army and arrested for bigamy. Along the way he describes a country of unsurpassed beauty, of ancient superstitions, of brutal North-South divisions, of mystics and philosophers, geniuses and fools, saints and sinners - a country much like today.