Customer Reviews

Islands of Italy

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I found this book quite by accident while doing research for an upcoming trip to Italy. This was only one of many books I looked at and I didn't expect it to be anything more than a resource. Instead, it turned out to be one of the most beautiful and satisfying books I've ever read.

I really cannot say enough in praise of Barbara G. Harrison's writing. She tells anecdotes, expresses odd thoughts, describes scenarios, but the impact of her words goes far beyond a simple travelogue. Never mind the excellent photography featured in this book; Harrison's writing is reason enough to seek out this book.

Meditative, thought-provoking, occasionally disturbing, and at times quite challenging, The Islands of Italy isn't simply a book about Italy.

It's so much more...

This is a travel book with outstanding photography of Sicily, Sardinia, and the Aeolian Islands. Sheila Nardulli is the photographer whose contribution to the book is large for her narrative, personal, photographic style is perfect for the Italian islands. The book highlights the beautiful landscape, the broad range of architectural styles, the vast history of this region, and the daily life of the people including their wonderful cuisine. The book is also interspersed with quotations from Calvino and Lampedusa, two Italian writers who are very familiar with these islands. Seafood makes up an important part of the lives of these people and we thus see many photographs of fishermen and seafood dishes. The Italians don't try to hide the fish aspect of seafood and thus often the fish dishes are served with the heads on the fish. Olives, roma tomatoes, and a vast range of olives are all pictured. The strength of the Catholic Church is very evident with vastly ornate churches in the cities. The architecture is influenced by Spanish and Moorish sensibilities and are very different from the buildings of Milan and Florence, particularly in the use of mosaic and tile work as compared to fresco. Photographs of dead children buried in glass windowed coffins in Palermo are frightening and odd. Roman and Greek roads and ruins still populate these islands where the weather has helped retain their integrity. The text is informative and I especially liked all the photographs of elderly Italians continuing with their chores in this rugged world. The text and photographs evoke Italy in a very realistic way.