A Chronographic Journey Through the Belle Époque. The book details a non-stop, high-speed tour of Europe initiated by the need to attend a meeting in Rome. The journey is a remarkable feat of logistics, covering vast distances in a single day, from the shores of Norway to the plains of Hungary, and from the peaks of the Alps to the bustling streets of the Balkans.

Capturing a Vanishing World. Published in 1909, "Around the Clock" serves as a historical snapshot. It vividly portrays the landscapes, towns, people, and customs of Europe during the early 1900s – a period before the two world wars would dramatically reshape the continent. The author, Count Carlo Fornasetti, captures the pre-war atmosphere of optimism and possibility.

Human Connections in Motion. Beyond mere geography, the book contains numerous brief encounters with locals – peasants, officials, children – offering fleeting but insightful glimpses into the lives and perspectives of people across diverse European regions during that specific historical moment.