The book investigates the profound isolation and systemic neglect of the peasantry in the remote Lucania region of Italy during the Fascist era. Carlo Levi, a physician, painter, and political activist, draws upon his experiences during his internal exile in the 1930s to document the stark reality of a society existing outside the reach of modern history and the state. He presents a framework of cultural anthropology, contrasting the urban, industrialized north with the primitive, cyclical existence of the southern rural population.

Critics and scholars frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the historical divide between northern and southern Italy. Readers often note the lyrical, observational quality of the prose, which balances political critique with a deep, empathetic study of human endurance.