The Passenger collects the best new writing, photography, and reportage from around the world. Its aim, to break down barriers and introduce the essence of the place. Packed with essays and investigative journalism; original photography and illustrations; charts, and unusual facts and observations, each volume offers a unique insight into a different culture, and how history has shaped the place into what it is today.

Brimming with intricate research and enduring wonder, The Passenger is a love-letter to global travel.

IN THIS VOLUME, Marco D’Eramo, Nicola Lagioia, Matteo Nucci, and Francesco Piccolo among other Italian writers tell of a city which, despite appearances, slips further down the ranking of the world’s most liveable cities.

To the problems faced by all large capitals, Rome has added a list of calamities of its own: widespread corruption, the resurgence of fascist movements, rampant crime. A seemingly hopeless situation perfectly symbolised by the fact that Rome currently leads the world in the number of self-combusting public buses.

However, if we look closer, this narrative is contradicted by just as many signs that point in the opposite direction. The majority of Romans wouldn’t consider “betraying” their hometown, and the many newcomers are often indistinguishable from the natives in the profound love that binds them to the city, leading to a lack of the mass emigration. Rome is a place of contradictions, yet to understand Rome and “fix” its problems, we should consider it a normal city, “not unlike Chicago or Manchester.” Only, incomparably more beautiful.

“These books are so rich and engrossing that it is rewarding to read them even when one is stuck at home.”—The TLS

“It has a strong focus on storytelling, with pages given over to a mix of essays, playlists and sideways glances at subcultures and thorny urban issues.”—MONOCLE, The Stack

“Half-magazine, half-book… think of [The Passenger] as an erudite and literary travel equivalent to National Geographic, with stunning photography and illustration and fascinating writing about place.”—Independent.ie (Best series of the year – 2021)

“The Passenger readers will find none of the typical travel guide sections on where to eat or what sights to see. Consider the books, rather, more like a literary vacation--the kind you can take without braving a long flight in the time of Covid-19.”—Publisher's Weekly

“Fresh and diverting, informative and topical without being slight or ephemeral [...] This supremely well-edited combination of current affairs, journalism, commentary, and fun facts is perfect for our pause-button moment.”—Australian Financial Review (Best Books of the Year)

“Tremendously eclectic and classily produced...each volume gets under the skin of a country or a city in a multifaceted way that feels essential in these times of narrowing national horizons.”—The Bookseller