The Land of Cockayne

Matilde Serao (1857-1927) is widely regarded as the most successful Italian woman journalist of the nineteenth century. She published over forty books, wrote a very popular newspaper column, founded four newspapers, and brought up five children. A great observer of life, her works focused directly on the most pressing problems of a newly-unified Italy; urban poverty, and the North/South divide. Serao's short stories and by-lines appeared in most of the outstanding periodicals of the day.