The most recommended books about the Mediterranean

Rather than following a chronological order or a political narrative, Wickham, the leading British historian of the Early Middle Ages, takes a thematic and regional approach to the transformation of the Roman world across the Mediterranean.

His dense comparisons of the economic and social structures of specific regions, both some like Denmark and Ireland that were never part of the Roman Empire, as well as core regions around the entire Mediterranean, highlight the diversity already existing within the Roman Empire and the differing fates of these regions as they emerged from its disappearance.

Here’s another true story written as a novel, this time an autobiography, which I love. Again, the locations are fantastic,  it’s something of a travelogue, and there’s a strong element of cross-cultural fluidity.

The hero of the book is a Muslim exile from Granada who was brought up in Fez and became an itinerant merchant, journeying through the Sahara and what is now Sudan before settling in Cairo. On his way back to Fez, he was captured by pirates, sent to Rome, converted to Christianity, became a translator and researcher for the Pope, and wrote a description of Africa. Oh, and then he goes back to North Africa and converts back to Islam.

Brilliant!

I’ve loved Clive Cussler’s books since long before I became an ocean explorer myself. His ability to weave real science and engineering into adventurous novels is without peers, and I can see aspects of Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino in real people I’ve worked with throughout my career.

This book is the first of the duo’s twenty-six adventures to date, and it is perhaps the most realistic of the series. Many of you will likely have read one or more of the recent adventures, but take the time to dive back into the mission where it all started. You won’t be disappointed!

Robin Lane Fox, best known for his books on Alexander the Great, has produced a superb overview of ancient history, from the emergence of Greece c.776BC to the Roman empire’s zenith under the emperor Hadrian (reigned  AD117-138).  He takes a firmly narrative approach, which makes for a thrilling read. His focus is on the lives of great men such as Pericles, Alexander, and Julius Caesar and on key political and military events rather than on cultural and social factors. While his epic approach may not impress all academics, it will probably still be read with enthusiasm long after more specialist works have been forgotten. Lots of illustrations, some in colour. Ideal for the general reader.

British Intelligence during the First World War is most known for the work of Room 40, which led to the more famous Bletchley Park in the next World War; however, another crucial part of the operation was all the agents in the field that reported to the same man who spearheaded the codebreaking. Those in the Mediterranean were under the command of Charles “the Bold” Thoroton, and this book, written by his granddaughter’s husband, is an enthralling peek into the life of an agent on the ground. From fascinating stories of how unnamed agents found the information the Admiralty was desperate for to being targeted by counter-agent femme fatales, Finding Thoroton reveals information not to be found in any other book, compiled through careful research. A fascinating read.

I should say upfront that the author’s a friend of mine – but I’m featuring Dark Horizon here because it’s an incredibly good read. James’ thrillers are not only gripping but have an added dimension that doesn’t always make it to the pages of other thrillers: three-dimensional characters.

Heroes and villains are not just cut and pasted into the ‘good guy’ and ‘bad guy’ roles; they have histories, families, and reasons for doing what they do. That’s why you have to know what happens next – and because this is a stand-alone novel, it’s a great place to start if you’ve not come across this author before.

The great John Keegan called this “among the two or three very best works of military history I have ever read,” and it’s easy to see why. An authoritative, deeply researched examination of the Mediterranean system of warfare at sea in the age immediately following the introduction of effective gunpowder weapons, Guilmartin’s riveting book takes us deep into the interminable rivalries between Christians and Muslims across the inland sea, revealing the peculiar realities—technological, geopolitical, climatic, cultural—that shaped the era’s tactics and strategy. This is a book full of fascinating revelations about a largely misunderstood chapter of history.

Sicily is part of my family’s heritage, and back when they emigrated to America, they left a lot of their language and culture behind or didn’t pass it down to the next generation.

Seeking Sicily fills in some of those blanks in my family’s cultural history. It does what I haven’t been able to do, roam around the island meeting many different people and asking about everything from food to religious rituals to life amid the ruins of old palaces and ancient monuments.

It’s a really intimate book that still gives a great overview of Sicilian life.

I loved this book because it was a readable, compelling look at one of the great villains (or heroes, depending upon your perspective) of the Classical world. 

I found the imaginative, but historically informed, reconstructions of Mithridates’ life refreshing; they gave the venomous protagonist a humanity that is often lacking in ancient biographies. In the author’s words, this is a ‘rollicking good story’—and as such, you will not be disappointed.

Author Christopher Castellani stumbled onto quite the rich playground when he first read about the life of Frank Merlo in a book he found in a used bookstore.

The partner of Tennessee Williams for 15 years, Merlo was a working-class New Jersey boy from an Italian family, and a war hero, who also worked as the legendary playwright’s personal assistant during the height of his career. Merlo, however, had creative aspirations of his own. He wanted to be an actor.

Leading Men reimagines the pair’s life together in a griping work of historical fiction. Set in the Italian Riviera in the 1950s, the book pulls back the curtain on their tumultuous relationship, the literary and film circles of 1950s Italy, and the burdens of fame.