Sicily Chronicles

To Luca, the story of Sicily was like an old movie made modern. From black-and-white to sepia and then to color, the old man Vito's narration of the island's ancient history kept Luca spellbound. Originally a trip to his parents' homeland, Luca's journey was now one of a deeper history, in which the Roman dominion over the island was converted by invasions of Byzantines, Muslims, Normans, French, Aragonese, Bourbons, and even the forces of North America. From the time of Julius Caesar to the present day, the history of Sicily is the history of Western Civilization. Crossroads of the Mediterranean takes the listener on the journey with Luca in discovering the roots of this true melting pot, the island in the Middle Sea. Crossroads of the Mediterranean is preceded by Islands of Fire, which chronicles the history of Sicily from its volcanic origins millions of years ago to the Slave Wars of the first century BCE.

Both books in Dick Rosano's 'Sicily Chronicles', a series of historical fiction set in Italy, now in one volume!Islands Of Fire: Luca travels to Sicily in search of his family roots and meets Vito, who takes him back in time to when the island was settled by seafaring people, fought over by warring tribes and invaders. From Anu and Baia's arrival 11,000 years ago to Telia and Sapira's agricultural revolution, Sicily's history is rich and diverse, with the Sicani, Elymi, and Siculi tribes settling the island 3,000 years ago. Through invasions by Arabs, Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans, the reader journeys through the volcanic origins of the island to the era of the Roman Empire. Islands of Fire explores the role of Sicily, a waystation in the Middle Sea, at the heart of western history.Crossroads Of The Mediterranean: Luca's journey to his parents' homeland in Sicily becomes a deep exploration of the island's rich and diverse history, from Roman dominion to invasions by Byzantines, Muslims, Normans, French, Aragonese, Bourbons, and even the forces of North America. Crossroads of the Mediterranean takes the reader on this journey, chronicling the roots of this true melting pot, the island in the Middle Sea, from the time of Julius Caesar to the present day. Dick Rosano's columns have appeared for many years in The Washington Post and other national publications. His series of novels set in Italy capture the beauty of the country, the flavors of the cuisine, and the history and traditions of the people. Rosano has traveled the world but Italy is his ancestral home and the insights he lends to his books bring the characters to life, the cities and countryside into focus, and the culture into high relief.Whether it's the workings of the winery in A Death in Tuscany, the azure sky and Mediterranean vistas in A Love Lost in Positano, the intrigue in Hunting Truffles, or the bitter conflict of Nazi occupation in The Secret Altamura, Rosano puts the life and times of Italy into your hands.