"The apparent contradiction that gives title to this book is also its central premise: The certainty that, on every step we take, we find the marks of a world that was left behind in time, but that impacts each of our gestures and ideas. In these briefessays, Irene Vallejo engages in a dialogue with various historical personalities and with the culture they have left us; these dialogues are at once an unpretentious display of erudition and a tribute to the subtle art of storytelling"--Provided by publisher.