In 1964 Luigi Barzini, commissioned by an American publisher, attempted to intercept our identity in an essay, “The Italians”, describing the Italy of the immortal civilization and that of the national disasters, without forgetting Italy full of charm loved by Tourists. It Was the boom years, our democracy was consolidating, our design dictated law, as well as our cinematography, literature, theatre and even automobiles. Understanding who we were became a widespread need. Today, more than forty years after its publication, Barzini’s essay still reveals a disruptive force. Because in reading this gripping reflection on our history and on our custom, the question that arises is simple and complex: What book would Barzini have written if he had to write it today? In What we have evolved and what, instead, has remained immobile and mineralized?