The Tartar Steppe

This book is an Italian classic, and for good reason. It's a story about how we live waiting for something incredible to happen one day in our lives, without doing anything to make it happen. Without the scenario of our reality changing.

Confused? Let me explain better.

Published in 1940, this book tells the story of Giovanni Drogo, a 21-year-old sergeant sent to serve at Fort Bastiano, which is far from the city.

Initially, Giovanni doesn't want to stay there, but ends up agreeing to stay for 4 months, which extends into many years of his life.

Giovanni meets several men who live in the fort, without family, without friends other than the other soldiers, and always waiting for some war to happen.

All the men in that fort yearn for a war, as this would justify the time they "lost" in that fort for so many years.

Does the war happen, after all? Does the glorious moment arrive? Was it worth waiting so many years? Every human being lives in a fort Bastiani, a place of comfort where we wait for a revolution that will justify our futile efforts.