This volume is one of a series of guidebooks that focuses more on exploring the history and culture of the world’s greatest cities, and less on where to stay and what to eat. The book focuses on the lengthy and paradoxical history of Sicily. Sicily has been home to and conquered by the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabians, the Spanish, the French, and even the Austrians. Its architecture includes Christian churches, some of the best examples of Greek temples outside of Greece, as well as Muslim domes. So while many envision Sicily as being quintessentially Italian, it is really made up of the traditions and customs of most of the world’s greatest cultures. And while the book does spend one or two chapters discussing the Mafia and its origins, sixteen other chapters discuss everything from the Arabian caliphate established in the ninth century to the Val di Noto and its stunning Baroque architecture. The book also includes an in-depth section on further reading. This is not a guidebook that will tell one how to travel on a budget or where the best night life is; however, for those who want a guidebook that pithily explains a vast history in 300 pages while outlining the best historical sites to visit in support of this history, look no further. Annotation ©2014 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)