The Middle Sea: A History of the Mediterranean [Paperback]

John Julius Norwich, radio and television host and prolific author, has written his most expansive work yet. His past works have focussed primarily on historical Britain or particular areas/periods/civilizations around the Mediterranean; this work weaves together chronologically the rich history of that Middle Sea, focussed on the several great civilizations over the centuries and millennia, but supplemented with the comings and goings of many, many other small and middle powers, leaders, and peoples.

Unfortunately Norwich has chosen as the book's subtitle, 'A History of the Mediterranean', and if this is truly his aim, he falls short. It is a history of conflict in the Mediterranean, with politics and religion playing supporting roles, but with culture almost non-existent. On this slightly smaller but still enormous canvas, Norwich delivers a very richly detailed and coloured portrait.

His writing is clear and straightforward, with not infrequent sly asides or subtle humour. Given the different eras, civilizations, and languages covered, Norwich's expansive lexicon will have readers scrambling frequently for their dictionaries. (I read the book on an e-reader and found myself using its built-in services almost every page). To complicate matters further, many historically significant places are now either small villages or non-existent, or have had their names changed over time (think Constantinople to Istanbul, but hundreds of times over and on a smaller scale). The included maps and illustrations are helpful, but readers will still benefit from either some prior knowledge or some supplementary reference material.

An abridged list of the 33 chapter headings gives an idea of the book's scope:
Ancient Greece
Rome
Islam
The Two Diasporas
The Fall of Constantinople
The Catholic Kings and the Italian Adventure
Barbary and the Barbarossas
The Young Napoleon
The Settlement of Europe
Mohammed Ali and North Africa
Egypt and the Canal
The Great War

What is apparent even from this selected list is that the level of detail increases dramatically as time progresses. Ancient Greece gets one chapter, Rome two, and Napoleon more than two. Norwich himself notes, in explaining why he chose to end the book at the conclusion of WWI states, 'In the early chapters of this book, a century could be covered in a page or two; towards the end of it, an entire chapter may barely accommodate a decade.'

For readers interested in Norwich's particular focus and who don't expect an equal treatment of all events, Norwich is an excellent guide through the Mediterranean's rich history. A long but very enjoyable read.