The novel Journey to Trento is based on the eventful life of a relative of the author�??s but transcends his personal story to explore the experience of an entire generation, hence the subtitle �?The Ordinary Life of Franc M.�? The story, spanning a whole lifetime from the end of the 19th century to the 1960s, is set in various places in central Europe which marked the period. The setting seems appropriate for a family saga; however, the central character either cannot or does not want to be part of such a saga. Rather, Journey to Trento is an investigation of the hero�??s identity: what he did in his life, what he wanted to be, and what he actually became; what he wanted from others and what the others wanted from him.

If the hero is �??ordinary�?�, the form of the novel itself is not. The author evades both traditional and modern conventions, moulding the material in his own way, deploying a range of narrative perspectives and other devices. The objective and the subjective, the narrative and the lyrical, the documentary and the fantastic create a rich tapestry in which the hero is rendered immortal. In a way, his story is the story of everyone, which is why the author gives a certain anonymity to his character by shortening the family name to M., allowing the reader the choice between distance and empathy.