I leaped at the chance of reading about revolutionary Genova from where such immortal bards as Fabrizio De André hailed. Where the masses chased out the Fascists and Nazis and consigned the city to the Allies.

Naturally, a word about the unfortunate conspiracy of Gian Luigi Fieschi in 1547 against the tyrant Andrea Doria would have been appreciated by my handle, Jean-Francois Paul de Gondi, cardinal de Retz, who wrote a book on the episode at the precious age of 18.

After reading the manuscript, Cardinal Richelieu remarked, "Here's a dangerous spirit." And indeed de Gondi lived up to the compliment.

Genova also has one of the most stunning monumental cemeteries on earth, Stagliano.