When most people think of Sicily they think of the Mafia; the more literary minded may get more specific and think Mario Puzo, but that’s as far as it probably goes. What makes Norwich’s Sicily such a great book is he delves into the fascinating and complex history of a place that is so much more than its stereotype.

Norwich manages to pack a lot into this book. He starts literally with prehistoric Sicily and takes us up to the present day. He paints a picture of a land always under the control of some great power: Greeks, Romans, Carthaginians, Vandals, North Africans, Normans… The list goes on and on. He uses this always subject state of Sicily to explain its unique fatalism towards the rest of the world. He often notes the apathy with which Sicilians greets most invaders and chalks it up to the fact that when you’ve been invaded that many times what’s one more.

More than just a history this book is also a homage for Norwich. He first went to Sicily as a vacation with his family in the 60s and fell in love with it. He eventually became something of an expert of Norman Sicily which shows in the book. Not only is it a history, Norwich also gives the reader suggestions on things to see in Sicily connected to its past.

The style of the book is what I think of as Old-School History. The major focus is on the larger political events and big names. So kings and queens. In fact he follows them so relentlessly a portion of the book takes place in Naples because that was the capital of Sicily at one point. He also has very clear views of the people he is writing about and will give his unvarnished opinion of the leaders of Sicily and the natives in general. That said it is an easy and engaging read and if you read a lot of European history you will be amazed at all the ways Sicily intersects with it.