Sicily

This compelling guide uncovers Sicily's multi-faceted personality through famous literary figures. Rising up from the heart of the Mediterranean, Sicily has a rich and ancient history spanning over 2,000 years. A bounty prized by invaders from the Greeks, Romans and Vandals to the Byzantines, Arabs and Normans, Sicily's beautiful landscapes are haunted by a vibrant mix of cultures and her soil has always been fertile ground for the literary and artistic imagination. This compelling guide uncovers the influence of those literary figures who have managed to get under the island's skin - from Pindar, Cicero and Aeschylus to Shakespeare and Cervantes; DH Lawrence, Coleridge and Oscar Wilde to Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Ezra Pound and Lawrence Durrell; as well as local writers who have defined the modern Italian novel - Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa and Leonardo Sciascia. Through their words and lives, we witness the beauty, pain and power of the Sicilian cultural landscape and discover how the potent mix of influences on the island's society has been preserved forever in literature.

Andrew Edwards is a librarian, translator and freelance writer. He has translated two books by the Spanish author Alejandro Luque, written articles for The Linguist magazine and also had translations published in Mirator and the Medieval History journal. Suzanne Edwards is a linguistics graduate and lecturer. Between her and Andrew, they have written widely on Sicily, its food, culture and literature.

List of Illustrations Acknowledgements Map Introduction 1 Palermo and Surroundings: Peeling the Onion 2 The Tyrrhenian Coast: Castles in the Air 3 Messina, Taormina and the North-East Coast: A Playground for the Literati 4 Catania and Mount Etna: Under the Shadow of the Volcano 5 Syracuse and the South-East: The Sybaritic South 6 Agrigento and the South Coast: Sulphur Spirits and Greek Temples 7 Enna and the Interior: Sicily's Bread Basket 8 Trapani and the West: Salt, Wine and the Misty Goddess Author Profiles Chronology Select Bibliography Index