The year is 1900 in Coronata, and the Grand Old Woman, a proud and authoritarian matriarch, lies on her deathbed. In extremis, she summons the notary, the doctor, the priest, her son, her daughter-in-law, and her two granddaughters to say goodbye, and to remind them that they too will soon die. The warning disturbs everyone present, especially the son, who fears that his mother's long shadow, projecting itself beyond death, will prevent him from finally taking control of his life. From this vague apprehension instilled by the old woman, Massimo Bontempelli weaves a story, as fabulous as life itself, about the human condition and finitude. Originally published in 1936, People in Time is a singular novel in which the Italian writer deploys his prodigious wit to explore the eternal dilemma of mortals, torn between the desire to know their fate and the need to ignore it.