Sicily

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 violently 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 island's multi-faceted personality through those literary figures who have managed to get under her 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.

About the Authors

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. His previous books include Sicily: A Literary Guide for Travellers and Andalucia: A Literary Guide for Travellers.

Suzanne Edwards is a linguistics graduate and currently lectures at a Further Education college. Her previous books include Sicily: A Literary Guide for Travellers and Andalucia: A Literary Guide for Travellers.