Suitcase Stories and That Month in Italy - the two story cycles in Passage Confirmed -are about change - of country, of culture and of language - and about transformation. In Suitcase Stories the changes are permanent, motivated by romance, war, persecution, or the desire for a better life. We follow the characters through two world wars and three countries as their lives interweave and relationships begin, develop or end. In That Month in Italy a residency at an artists' retreat brings unforeseen changes in the lives of an international group of artists and intellectuals. The expectations and plans each one brings to Italy are affected by their experiences in the intense atmosphere of the villa.