Midnight in Rome: A Wandering Mind in a City Eternal

by Michael J. Gyulai

Having just graduated from the University of California, Michael relocates across the Atlantic in an attempt to satisfy his lifelong infatuation with Rome. But his conventional image of the Italian capital and its people begins to warp when he lands a job at an ultra-modern nightclub in the city's historic heart where the mischievous staff sweeps him into the world of after-hours Rome.Michael discovers the present-day Eternal City to be a whirlpool of recklessness and diversion, composed of tense drug dealings on the banks of the Tiber and grudge-driven robberies in ancient piazzas. In this Rome, there is but one glimmer of hope and a striking foreigner named Skye.Aching to share in the radiance of Skye's world, yet trapped within the devious nocturnal exploits of his Italian colleagues, Michael grapples with the limitations of language, the power of the night, the volatility of relationships, and the irrationality of fate. He explores these intimate intricacies of the human condition and of his own soul, each argument reflected in the city's sacred landscape and fallible people.Just as the timeless cobblestone and world-famous monuments interweave with a contemporary urban foreground of sleek nightclubs and cosmopolitan living, Midnight in Rome perfectly blends philosophical dialogue and improbable adventure, creating a masterpiece of human emotion.

250 pages, Paperback

First published January 22, 2008

Reviews

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Loved. If you are someone who's an Italophile, or just someone who dreams of picking up your life and moving to another country for the adventure of it, read this. I loved his story, and the ending left me wanting a sequel.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, starry eyed glimpse of the foreigner experience in Rome. Some of the quirks of Roman life and Italian people come through here, especially if you can read between the lines a bit.

[Jinty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about this experience & could relate to many of the situations of life in Italy!