A sweeping, dramatic, first-of-its-kind history of the creation of modern Italy. The birth of modern Italy was a messy affair. Inspired by a small group of writers, intellectuals, and politicians, Italy struggled in the first half of the nineteenth century to unite all Italian speakers under one rule, throwing aside a multitude of corrupt old rulers and colonial occupiers. In the midst of all this turmoil, Italian politicians felt compelled by a force of destiny hideously at odds with Italian reality. After immense sacrifice Italy was finally unified--and turned out to be just as impoverished, backward, and marginal as it had been before. The resentments this created fed Italy's destructive role in World War I, the subsequent rise of Mussolini and authoritarianism in the 1920s and '30s, and finally their humiliating defeat in World War II. This haunting legacy deeply informs the Italy of today. The first English language book to cover the full scope of modern Italy, from its official birth almost a century and a half ago to today, The Force of Destiny is a brilliant and comprehensive study of Italy--and a frightening example of how easily nation-building and nationalism can slip toward authoritarianism and war.