In the winter of 1897, Victorian writer George Gissing made a well-chronicled journey throughout southern Italy. The result was a book, By the Ionian Sea, which was published in 1901 and has since become a classic in travel literature.
A hundred years later, award-winning newspaper journalist John Keahey sets off to retrace Gissing’s footsteps. His goal is to compare and contrast the two Italys, seeing first-hand all the changes that have occurred over the past century. From train rides through the lush countryside to the crisp mountain air of Cantanzaro, Keahey paints a beautiful and compelling picture of one of the most popular parts of the country.
A Sweet and Glorious Land is not only a wonderful travelogue but also an intriguing history of Italy and its people.