Sicily

Jeremy Dummett is an expert in the history of Italy, with a deep understanding of Sicilian culture in particular, and this latest release completes his trilogy of books about the island... The author deftly pulls the diverse strands together by delving into the history and personalities that make up the fabric of this extraordinary island. * Italia! * Dummett is a historian and this is his third book about the island off Italy's toe; he evidently loves the place and has researched it in detail. -- Jenny Coad * The Times Saturday Review *

Jeremy Dummett is an expert on the history and culture of Sicily and the author of Syracuse, City of Legends: A Glory of Sicily and Palermo, City of Kings: The Heart of Sicily. He read history at Trinity College, Cambridge, and during his professional career lived for many years in Italy. Since retiring, he has been a regular visitor to Sicily. His website is www.jeremydummett.com

Foreword PART I: History 1. Introduction 2. The Castle of Dionysius 3. Sicily under the Roman Republic 4. The Arabs in Sicily 5. The Cathedral at Monreale 6. Frederick II and the Sicilian Poets 7. Domenico Caracciolo, the Reforming Viceroy 8. The British Wine Merchants 9. The Revolution of 1848 PART II: Cities 10. Introduction 11. Catania, Sicily's commercial capital, and Mount Etna 12. Taormina, Sicily's top international resort 13. Messina, port with connections to mainland Italy 14. Cefalu, seaside town with a Norman cathedral 15. Noto, baroque hill town 16. Ragusa and Modica, baroque hill towns 17. Palazzolo Acreide, baroque hill town 18. Marsala, ancient Lilybaeum, port city famous for its wine PART III: Ancient Sites 19. Introduction 20. Pantalica, a pre-historic site 21. Segesta, an Elymian city, with a Greek temple 22. Selinunte, ancient Selinus, a Greek city 23. Agrigento, ancient Akragas, a Greek city 24. Mozia, ancient Motya, a Punic city 25. Villa Casale at Piazza Armerina, a Roman villa PART IV: Artists 26. Introduction 27. Antonello da Messina, Renaissance painter 28. Antonello Gagini, Renaissance sculptor 29. Caravaggio, baroque painter 30. Pietro Novelli, baroque painter 31. Giacomo Serpotta, baroque sculptor 32. Rosario Gagliardi, baroque architect 33. Ernesto Basile, architect of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries 34. Renato Guttuso, twentieth century painter Notes Bibliography Acknowledgements Maps Index