Sicily

Overview

If you want more information about Sicily's long history than what's included in your otherwise-useful guidebook, but you don't want to read a 600-page history tome that ignores the places you would like to see, this book is for you. It will take you from seeing to understanding.Written by two of Sicily's leading historians, this unique guide emphasizes not only the archeology and sights of Sicily but the history behind these fascinating places, including many "secret" details unknown to most travel writers. The book presents a general history of Sicily and a detailed timeline covering three millennia, along with chapters dedicated to things to see in the island's cities and towns.There are chapters on sights, natural attractions (like Mount Etna), food and wine, and other topics. A number of maps and charts are included. The text mentions museums and the main points of interest of each place described. The book's focus is always those places that elicit the greatest curiosity among the majority of visitors. Localities of lesser interest are omitted while the authors concentrate on Erice, Siracusa, Cefalù and other cities known for their history and monuments, and of course archeological sites like Segesta, Agrigento, Selinunte and Himera. They mention a few of the more impressive castles, such as Caccamo, and Baroque jewels like Noto and Ragusa. Palermo and Monreale get their share of attention.Since its focus is history and culture, this guide doesn't present information about hotels, beaches, restaurants and transportation. Its purpose is to complement the guides that offer those details by "completing the picture" of the world's most conquered island for readers seeking more history than what is found in the typical guidebook.Most of this information is drawn from the authors' earlier books and a website (Best of Sicily) for which they have written many articles over the years. In fact, the vast readership of that website, online since 1999, has made Alio and Mendola Sicily's most popular historians, with millions of readers during the last two decades. In scholarly circles, they are called upon to peer review papers for publication in academic journals and several of their books have been used in university courses.Sicily: The Time Traveler's Guide follows the authors' earlier book in this series dedicated to Norman-Arab sites in Palermo, Monreale and Cefalù, as well as their book, The Peoples of Sicily, a popular ethnography. Jackie Alio has written groundbreaking biographies of the medieval queens of Sicily while Lou Mendola wrote a history of the Kingdom of Sicily, among other books. A few of those books, being based on original research, were "firsts" in their fields of study.This is accurate history without the clichés found in some books. Whether they're discussing the Punic Wars, the Sicilian Vespers or Sicilian literature, the authors bring you an understanding of the story behind the stories. Their narratives are captivating yet informative. This book is the extra step for thinking travelers seeking to take their experience to the next level of knowledge.Some travel writers are well-informed about history, but this book is the work of scholars based in Sicily. The information it presents, and the way it is presented, makes this convenient guide a highly insightful source for your discovery of Sicily. As an ebook, it's easy to take with you to read along the way.In print, this book would run to more than 500 pages. In this format, it fits in your pocket or purse. Traveling back in time was never so simple.

Author Biography

Jacqueline Alio is one of Sicily's leading medievalists. She wrote the first biography of Queen Margaret of Sicily and the first English translation of the Ferraris Chronicle. She authored the first compendium of biographies of Sicily's queens to 1266 and a supplementary study of Sicilian queenship. Louis Mendola is one of Sicily's best known historians. He is the author of several books, including the first complete history of the Kingdom of Sicily and the first English translations of the Jamsilla Chronicle and the memoir of John of Procida, books used in university courses.