The Middle Sea - by John Julius Norwich (Paperback)

About the Book

A one-volume narrative history of the Mediterranean from ancient Egypt to 1919.

Book Synopsis

This lively and dramatic book brings roaring to life the grand sweep of 5,000 years of history in the cradle of civilization.

A wonderfully illustrated account of the civilizations that rose and fell on the lands bordering the Mediterranean, The Middle Sea represents the culmination of a great historian's unparalleled art and scholarship. John Julius Norwich provides brilliant portraits of the Phoenicians, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines, the Arabs, the French, the Venetians, the Popes, and the pirates of the Gulf. Above all, he deftly traces the intermingling of ancient conflicts and modern sensibilities that shapes life today on the shores of the Middle Sea.

Review Quotes

"A sweeping saga of human turmoil . . . engagingly written on a grand scale by a master craftsman. . . . His witty asides are a constant delight." --Los Angeles Times"Norwich's history of the Mediterranean is a cause for celebration. . . . A demonstration of his unrivaled narrative skills. . . . No one planning a simple vacation by the wine-dark sea can afford to leave this book at home." --The Washington Post Book World"A sweeping history. . . . Highly readable. . . . Norwich's focus plays to his strengths." --The New Yorker"As colorful as history can get. . . . [Norwich] spices his narrative liberally with entertaining anecdotes, deft portraits, and brisk judgments." --The Economist

About the Author

John Julius Norwich is the author of many acclaimed works of history, including A History of Venice, Byzantium, and, most recently, Paradise of Cities: Venice in the 19th Century. He has also written and presented some thirty historical documentaries for BBC Television. Formerly chairman of the Venice in Peril Fund, he now heads the World Monuments Fund in Britain.