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The Speronari, Alexandre Dumas

Alexandre Dumas took great interest in Italy: he lived in Florence a year in exile he seems, and has devoted three books to his visit to Southern Italy, from Naples to Sicily.

The Speronari about his trip to Sicily. The speronara is a type of boat, such as the one Dumas praised his crew to begin his visit by sea, accompanied by his friend Jadin, who draws as he says (I do not know if there are editions of structure that render the sketch of his friend, it would be interesting ...).

The story not only describes his journey, he sees people Isis meeting, the saga of the road, whether sea or land. One imagines that tourism was still an adventure in the 19th century, and Dumas confirmed. Indeed, it appears rather foolhardy, climbing Mount Etna in conditions that seem incredible today, or through inland on roads controlled by bandits Sicilian - indeed, the two traveling companions were armed. But it also tells the stories he's happy Cicero, and a little history of Italy and Sicily, especially how the Sicilians managed to get rid of the tyranny of a French sovereign, Charles of Anjou , brother of St. Louis.

As always, Dumas knows maintain reader interest, mingling in no apparent order romantic love stories, stories that are chilling and epic pages of history, which collects the items from a few scholars that will specifically meet along the way ... or in local libraries.

There is not only the history of France that Dumas "has beautiful children," and it's quite interesting to read it to take a few landmarks in the history of Italy, certainly more complex than the history of France. Having myself visited Sicily a few years ago, I have very fond memory, I found it amusing and interesting to compare his descriptions of ancient sites with mine and the pictures I made: few notable changes we Not surprisingly, except perhaps a few more recent excavations its passage, because it does not mean some ruins when it was increased to reach their vision. I am always excited to iron in the footsteps of those who preceded us, they are humble and anonymous, or more famous as Dumas. In a world that moves so fast, some form of permanence assures no doubt, and amazement before a beautiful landscape or architecture are eternal all ages.

I discovered this copious work (nearly 20 hours of reading) by Horacio's voice, always on Literature audio.com. I think I'll continue with the corricolo where Dumas recounts her visit to Naples. As paradoxically - as my companion Neapolitan - I do not know much about Naples, I'll probably discover things that I want to visit during my next visit to this city, at once beautiful and dangerous ... and as we are reminded too often the news regularly invaded by garbage that no government can settle the problem permanently, partly because of the involvement of mafia in odious traffic in this area ...