'One of the most mysterious themes in Greek tragic theatre is the way that sons are predestined to pay for the sins of the fathers. It does not matter if the sons are good, innocent, pious; if their fathers have sinned the sons must be punished.'

The essays in this book (translated from the Italian by Stuart Hood) by the poet, intellectual, film director and writer Pier Paolo Pasolini, discuss Italian politics, tolerance, abortion, the Italian government, disobedience, drugs, education, and television.