This vivid, knowledgeable and privileged guide to the riches of Sicily is vintage Companion Guide. The beautiful island of Sicily, poised between Europe and Africa, has seen many invaders, nearly all of whom have left their mark in art and architecture. It is also a land of myth and enigma, pagan below the Catholic surface, troubled by the shadow of the Mafia - in the words of the great Sicilian writer Leonardo Sciascia, a fantasy world. Raleigh Trevelyan knows the island intimately, and his knowledge adds immeasurably to the experience of visiting the great sites: Segesta, Agrigento and the mosaics of the Roman villa near Piazza Armerina, Palermo and Monreale, the theatre at Syracuse and the baroque marvels of Noto. Unforgettable though these are, Sicily's unique character is more fully revealed as the author makes his leisurely way from province to province, describing the landscape and monuments, great treasures and remote villages, and spicing these discoveries with personal anecdote and references from writers down the centuries. RALEIGH TREVELYAN's books include several on Italian themes, notably Princes under the Volcano and two outstanding books about the Second World War in Italy: The Fortress: A Diary of Anzio and After and Rome 1944: The Battle for the Eternal City.
Reviews
The level of detail offered by Trevelyan is impressive... [his] knowledge, experience, research and passion shine. The detail is frequently enlivened by anecdotes, or historical episodes. * REFERENCE REVIEWS *
Informative, entertaining, even leisurely, combining the best of essential knowledge with an agreeable personal touch... A model guide, with ... all the excitement of discovery and the deeper pleasures of long familiarity. * THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT *
This is the guidebook that the fascinating island of Sicily richly deserves... I urge you to go and see for yourself the extraordinary beauty of the island with a copy of this book to hand. * COUNTRY LIFE *
I value the traditional virtues of the Companion Guides... actually written by an individual rather than packaged by production teams... straightforward intelligent guides to cultural sites. -- Douglas Schatz * BOOKSELLER *
[Trevelyan is] an ideal guide to the island, knowledgeable, courteous and eloquent... A generation ago Hugh Honour and Georgina Masson wrote classic companion guides to Venice and Rome respectively. Trevelyan's delightful volume is of the same high calibre. * TABLET *
The title is right: Raleigh Trevelyan is indeed a most companionable guide...do pack it. * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *



Book Information
ISBN 9781900639446
Author Raleigh Trevelyan
Format Paperback
Page Count 622
Imprint Companion Guides
Publisher Boydell & Brewer Ltd