An Armchair Traveller’s History of Apulia by Desmond Seward (PDF)

Description

An Armchair Traveller’s History of Apulia is the story of the heel of Italy – Puglia – as told by past and present day travellers. It has beautiful landscapes, cave towns and frescoed grotto churches, wonderful old cities with Romanesque cathedrals, Gothic castles and a wealth of Baroque architecture. And yet, while far from inaccessible, until quite recently it was seldom visited by tourists. This portrait of Apulia concentrates on the Apulian people down the ages. Conquerors, whether Messapians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Lombards, Byzantines, Normans, Angevins, Germans or Spaniards, have all left their mark on the region in a cultural palimpsest that at first sight bewilders, but which hugely repays investigation. Arranged in short chapters, the narrative travels from north to south, making it an ideal companion for exploring Apulia by car. The Gazetteer, which is cross-referenced to the main text, highlights cities, churches, cathedrals, castles and sites of historical importance to the visitor. For travellers on the ground or students at their desks, this elegant, cloth-bound book will prove invaluable.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: About the Author Desmond Seward, who studied at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, is a historian and the author of many books, including The Monks of War: The Military Religious Orders and A Brief History of the Hundred Years War. Susan Mountgarret is the coauthor of Byzantium: A Journey and a Guide.

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Well, more of a caution…I am sure the book is great, but the type is micro. I think the Kindle version would be easier on the eyes. I don’t need reading glasses yet but some books are more challenging than others and this is one. I have a paperwhite Kindle so will likely get that version, and return this one.

⭐This was a great companion for my trip to Apulia –not the most popular tourist destination. This is a grouping by city of travelers’ journals and letters from the 1600s to the 1900s–so it is very interesting to read about the various places over the centuries. I thought it was very interesting, a combination of history lessons and travelogues.

⭐Wealth of historical information . I read everything related to my hero, Frederick ii “Stupor Mundi”. Plan to see his Castle bel Monte in Apulia

⭐If you like history and plan to travel to Puglia this is thr book for you.

⭐On time, informative and will accompany me to Italy as reference source.

⭐This is a well-written and informative guide book

⭐The summaries of towns and cities at the end of the book are particularly useful. Otherwise, I found myself skimming through some of the heavily detailed descriptions when I got confused over time lines and historical names. There is a wealth of fascinating facts and insight into the geography, history, customs and politics of this lesser known part of Italy but the way in which it’s presented makes for a difficult read.

⭐I took this charming little book with me to Apulia recently, on an art history tour. I read relevant bits out loud to my neighbours in the coach as we travelled around, and soon had people moving seats in order to listen. Its historical focus really helped our understanding of the country, which in late April was just magical. I learned lots about the history of Italy too – a great help.

⭐New edition much improved by an index and useful maps. This is a well-written historical tour of the area that is an ideal accompaniment for travellers.

⭐An easy read, travels through the various regions and sites of Puglia. Good historical and cultural insights. A good Puglia travel companion.

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