Sicily: An Illustrated History (Illustrated Histories) (Paperback)

~ Joseph F. Privitera (Author)
Key Phrases: King of Sicily, Robert Guiscard, Middle Ages (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This concise history relates how Sicily rose to become the first independent, civilised nation of greater Italy, and home to many of the world's most distinguished philosophers, mathematicians, scientists, and artists.

About the Author

Joseph F Privitera

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: Hippocrene Books (June 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0781809096
• ISBN-13: 978-0781809092
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #195,710 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Intro, August 13, 2002

By	Wallace V. French III (Boston MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm surprised this book is not getting more attention. It is a great introduction to the confusing history of Sicily. Sicily has been occupied and conquered so many times it is hard to keep track. Privitera does a great job of sorting through all of this and explaining the history of Sicily with ease. His motivation for writing this book was researching the history of his name and in so doing discovered so much about the history of this island. The title says it is an "illustrated history." However, the illustrations are not very good. This should not discourage you from purchasing this book because the text is what counts. I enjoyed this read and it did not take long to finish the book. Recommended for the Italian history buff.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A tremendous undertaking in a little book!, May 8, 2005

By	Bunny Bunsen, PhD (Boston, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

Privitera's concise and compact history of Sicily is an amazing undertaking and excellent overview of the complex history of this important island. He supplements the text with illustrations that accentuate or expand upon the text, and he discusses the influences of various groups (spanning over two milennia) on the agricultural, industrial, and cultural aspects of Sicily. Overall, this is an excellent and straight-forward work on a fascinating place!

44 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A distinguished land and its impressive people, September 7, 2002

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Black-and-white photographs and artworks add a visual touch to Joseph F. Privitera's Sicily: An Illustrated History. This very direct and straightforward accounting of a world-famous portion of Italy ranges from the era of the Greeks down to the modern day. Historical figures, the role of the Church, war, colonial powers and much more all figure prominently in this compelling, highly recommended capsule-digest version of the impressively legacy and promising future of a distinguished land and its impressive people.