I racconti 1927-1951 is a collection of short stories Alberto Moravia wrote from his twenties through his forties. It portrays middle-class confinement, the deceit of human relationships, and a mix of desire and weariness. The stories stand alone, yet they share a common atmosphere of urban pressure and moral friction.

The collection builds short-story after short-story out of the fatigue and friction hidden in everyday urban life.