Whilst this book has hit my favourites list it almost did not. This is a not a substantial book in terms of pages, there are over 350, but in terms of contents and historical scope.

The book starts with the history of the island from the Greeks and continues through to the period just after the Second World War. As someone who is half Sicilian it is a great grounding for understanding the island through the historical trials, tribulations and more importantly perhaps, the habitation of other occupiers.

Whilst Sicily is part of Italy now, although with autonomy in it’s administration, that was not always the case and those early inhabitants left a variety of legacies, all of which have shaped the islands and the cultures of the islanders.

This is not a book which can be read over a few days, I have read this book several times over a period of a number of months, dipping into the chapters, needing time to digest and reflect on 2500 years of Sicilian history.