Book Launch
A reception to celebrate the publication of Syracuse, City of Legends was held at Daunt Books, 83 Marylebone High Street, London, on April 14th. Daunt Books is a leading independent bookseller, specialising in travel. The reception, which was hosted by the publisher I.B. Tauris Ltd, was attended by the author’s friends and family together with members of the British-Italian Society.
In his presentation of the book, Jeremy Dummett underlined the importance of Syracuse in ancient times, quoting the 19th century English traveller and writer, Douglas Sladen:
“English people do not realise that half of the history of Greece belongs to the Sicilian Greeks; that Syracuse was a larger city than ever Athens was, and that Syracuse was once the greatest city in the world. If you want to understand ancient Greece, come to Sicily.”
He went on to say that staying in Syracuse is a pleasure, not only for the monuments which are easily accessible, but also for the walks through the old town of Ortygia and around the harbours. It is a good place for boat trips, for seeking out the smaller sites and for excursions down the coast to the nature reserve at Vendicari and to the Baroque hill towns of Noto, Modica and Ragusa.