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Sam Palazzo's Reviews > Sicily: An Island at the Crossroads of History
Sicily: An Island at the Crossroads of History
by
by
The reason that I originally picked up this book was that I wanted to learn more about the history of Sicily, an island which I have familial ties to. I am happy to say that now, after having finished this history, that I am quite satisfied.
Norwich's historical narrative is concise, lively, and surprisingly readable. From the earliest settlements of the Greeks and Romans of antiquity, to the Allied invasion of the island during World War II, Norwich's writing is chock-full of interesting details, personal observations and compelling anecdotes that truly bring these periods to life. The choice by the author to refrain from the dull sequential narration that is all too commonly found in large-scale histories was refreshing, and it made the content of his writing all the more palatable. It's patently clear that Norwich had a deep affection for the island of Sicily, and his writing is made better because of it.
It is worth mentioning that this book essentially covers the entire history of Sicily, and unfortunately there are points where the narrative sometimes suffers due to the broadness of the work. It's obvious after reading that Norwich is most interested in the period of Norman rule, the only time in Sicily's history that the island was truly independent, as those chapters receive the greatest deal of attention. Norwich's telling of the Norman period is undeniably captivating, truly the best part of the entire book, but I would have liked to have seen the same amount of attention given to other periods of Sicilian history featured in this work, such as the periods of Spanish or French rule, which receive a far broader treatment.
Overall, I really enjoyed Norwich's work. I came out of this book more knowledgable, and certainly more excited about Sicilian History than I had going into it. Going further, I was deeply impressed by the enthusiastic tone of Norwich's writing, which was a pleasant change from what I typically see in other historical narratives. I plan to pick up more of Norwich's works in the near future.
Norwich's historical narrative is concise, lively, and surprisingly readable. From the earliest settlements of the Greeks and Romans of antiquity, to the Allied invasion of the island during World War II, Norwich's writing is chock-full of interesting details, personal observations and compelling anecdotes that truly bring these periods to life. The choice by the author to refrain from the dull sequential narration that is all too commonly found in large-scale histories was refreshing, and it made the content of his writing all the more palatable. It's patently clear that Norwich had a deep affection for the island of Sicily, and his writing is made better because of it.
It is worth mentioning that this book essentially covers the entire history of Sicily, and unfortunately there are points where the narrative sometimes suffers due to the broadness of the work. It's obvious after reading that Norwich is most interested in the period of Norman rule, the only time in Sicily's history that the island was truly independent, as those chapters receive the greatest deal of attention. Norwich's telling of the Norman period is undeniably captivating, truly the best part of the entire book, but I would have liked to have seen the same amount of attention given to other periods of Sicilian history featured in this work, such as the periods of Spanish or French rule, which receive a far broader treatment.
Overall, I really enjoyed Norwich's work. I came out of this book more knowledgable, and certainly more excited about Sicilian History than I had going into it. Going further, I was deeply impressed by the enthusiastic tone of Norwich's writing, which was a pleasant change from what I typically see in other historical narratives. I plan to pick up more of Norwich's works in the near future.
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