Chasing la dolce vita

The article opens with a family story about the author’s great-grandfather, Marco, who rescued an eagle fledgling as a child in Emilia-Romagna, a region in north-central Italy.

The eagle grew rapidly, and Marco himself became unusually tall.

One day, the eagle flew away, leaving Marco behind.

This legend became a significant part of the author’s imagination and understanding of their Italian heritage.

The story symbolizes the author’s lifelong connection to Italy, despite their family’s migrations between Italy and other countries.

Marco’s tall stature and the eagle’s freedom represent the idea of Italianness as something both rooted in tradition and constantly moving or evolving.