How does the experience of living in a foreign city for a year reshape an individual's perception of time, art, and the challenges of early parenthood? Anthony Doerr, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, chronicles his residency at the American Academy in Rome, where he balances the demands of his craft with the chaotic reality of raising newborn twins. The narrative utilizes his personal journals and observations to explore the intersection of historical legacy and the immediate, domestic pressures of family life in a new cultural environment.

This work is regarded as a contemplative and lyrical exploration of the expatriate experience, noted for its observational precision and gentle humor. The text provides a grounded, intimate look at the intersection of high culture and the mundane realities of raising infants in a foreign setting.