An ‘infinite’ love between Rome and Magna Graecia, ‘Vitamia’ the novel by Alberto Matano

A love story between Rome and Magna Graecia. A simple and at the same time epic story, a journey through feelings that lasted thirty years and reaches up to the present day. A story that teaches a truth that anyone who has experienced a strong passion has faced during their existence: great loves, those that profoundly change life, never end. It is the underlying theme of ‘Vitamia’ (Mondadori pp.347 euro 19.50), the first novel by journalist Alberto Matano, a well-known face of the afternoon program of the Viale Mazzini flagship network ‘La Vita in diretta’ and commentator on ‘ Dancing with the Stars’ broadcast on Rai1. The book will be presented in Rome, Thursday 5 December at 7.30 pm, in the Sala Petrassi of the Auditorium Parco della Musica in the presence of Francesca Fagnani and Francesco Vezzoli.

The protagonist of the story is Rocco: when he arrives in Rome to study law he is only twenty years old and has his whole life ahead of him. Behind him he leaves Syracuse, a girlfriend who writes him sappy letters and a family business that he has no intention of taking over. Rome is for him a universe to explore, full of new possibilities and new encounters. Starting with the one with Giulia, a girl who smokes elegant thin cigarettes and laughs in an unmistakable way, an enchanting yet elusive creature. But while his curiosity for her grows, a literature student, Davide, also appears in Rocco’s life. In him Rocco finds a friend: at first unfriendly, but then suddenly a brother, and perhaps something more. All this while the story with Giulia, previously just a dream, unexpectedly becomes reality. The love between Rocco and Giulia is unique and overwhelming, as only first loves can be. A love that seems destined to last forever. But is this really Rocco’s future? A woman like Giulia, a family together, maybe children… How then to explain those feelings she begins to feel for Davide?