The novel's protagonist, his vicissitudes, his ambitions and his whole life revolve around one of the greatest intellectuals of the 20th century, Pier Paolo Pasolini. This is a curious situation of indirect knowledge: the protagonist works at the Pasolini Foundation together with Laura Betti - a close friend of the great author and actress in many of his films. His research focuses on Petrolio, the intriguing book Pasolini worked on from 1972 until his death; a hidden story in the book becomes the protagonist's guide to the mysteries of life.
