The Peoples of Sicily: A Multicultural Legacy (Sicilian Medieval Studies)

Lou Mendola and Jacqueline Alio have given us a remarkable, readable look at this wonderful island. As with their other books dealing with Sicily, their scholarship is impeccable. It's not a guidebook in the traditional sense; there are no lists of restaurants to visit or hotels or B&B in which to stay. There is, in the back, a discussion of places to visit, an extensive collection of maps, and a thorough chronology of the island's long history. This is an every-person's history with events smoothly laid out in a writing style easy on the ear and eye. I found myself marking such passages as the one that describes why Sicilians and southern Italians pray during Catholic mass by raising both arms with palms facing outward: "If Saint Paul prayed when he visited Sicily, this is how he did it, for the outstretched arms and open hands 'reaching up to God' originated with Hebrew prayer. The folded-hands position popular [elsewhere] was originally a sign of servility associated with Roman slaves or shackled prisoners." Wonderful stuff! And they regularly give us new knowledge the like of which is not found in dry traveler histories. As the authors explain in their Introduction, which is as readable and enjoyable as the chapters themselves, "Here you will meet all of the ancient and medieval peoples of Sicily under one roof without the need to consult separate books to read about the Elymians and the Normans, and the Sicanians and the Goths. It is an approach as pragmatic as it is unorthodox." The careful, open-minded reader, when finished, will understand the cultures of the various disparate peoples who flowed across Sicily over the millennia and why these Mediterranean islanders consider themselves Sicilians first and Italians, well, a far-distant second.

The Peoples of Sicily: A Multicultural Legacy" is a captivating exploration of the rich and diverse tapestry of Sicilian history. Authored by Mendola, this book skillfully navigates the complex interactions of cultures, languages, and traditions that have shaped the island's identity over centuries.

I had interest in the multicultural history of Sicily. My mother's family was from the Palermo area. As a child, she mentioned that some of our Sicilian ancestors were of Greek origin. Indeed, my DNA ancestry showed ~11% Greek, with the majority being Italian from my Mom and Dad's side. I found this book to be very entertaining. The history of Sicily is so diverse, with Greek, Arabic, Norman, Roman (my Dad's ancestry), Spanish and French influences. The modern history is a little more troubling, but the ancient and medieval history clearly shows that Sicily was a very important cultural "distribution point" for Europe. There was great religious and cultural tolerance, especially under the Norman kings (Vikings). My mothers siblings had mostly blue eyes, and I wonder if this was Norman influence. I left this book with enhanced pride in my Sicilian ancestry, and great respect for those who came before.

Amazing how much information is in this concise book. While others may find it irritating, I loved how the authors used repetition to drill home major historical points. Not only did this help my retention but it also allows you to read each chapter independently. It will be very helpful in the future if I just want to read up on one quick concept.Some of the interesting nuggets in this book:-Jews forced to convert or emigrate often took the name of their town as their last name-Marsala comes from Mars el' Allah or "Port of God"-The Arab conquest brought a lot of financial innovation to Sicily such as letters of credits and checks-At the time of the Norman conquest, Palermo alone generated more revenue than all of England-To this day, Sicilians refer to red haired people as "Normans"-During the Vespers rebellion, people were asked to say "ceci" or chickpea in Sicilian to see if they had a French accentI just wish the book did not end at the Spanish Inquisition. There has been a lot more history over the past 500 years.

Methodical research by the authors gives us this fascinating book! Growing up with Sicilian parents, I thought I knew much about Sicily until I read The Peoples of Sicily. Insightful, well written and full of great information. One of the most interesting facts is how Sicily thrived under three different religions, without any major conflict during its golden age, representing an advanced system of government and tolerance for the time. The authors do a remarkable job personifying Sicilian history, the rulers, geographic regions, and her people. An exceptional book written by two exceptional authors....a must read by anyone interested in Sicily and her history!

The Peoples of Sicily is more aptly a summarized history of the peoples of the Mediterranean and Europe covering 12,000 years. To accomplish this in 340 pages is no easy task. The authors did an excellent job of highlighting those events that changed the history of the Mediterranean. The book is done with some humor and a nod towards Shakespeare. Some surprisingly small events in Sicily changed world history a number of times. The largest island in the middle of the Mediterranean was a natural location for the center of trade; hence Sicily was conquered and re-conquered by many different groups. The Appendix chronology at the end of the book is particularly useful in placing events in a time context.My wife and I are planning a Mediterranean trip and found this book more useful and informative than any travel guide. When visiting historical sites, we now have a framework in which to place the major historical events from the Tarxien Temples of Malta to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V- King of Spain, King of Sicily and ruler of Western Europe.

interesting, but not worth the cost of the book

One of the most complete and helpful books I recently read.

Should have read the book before going for a tour of Sicily. Met the author in Palermo. She is very knowledgeable. Enjoyed the tour and enjoyed the book. Well written and easy to understand.

Well written. Clear and very informative. An area I have always been interested in but couldn't find much written.