April 1, 2023

In Sardinia: An Unexpected Journey in Italy.
By Jeff Biggers
May 2023. 336p. Melville, $27.99 (9781685890261). 914.59

What are the stories of Sardinia, and who shall tell them? That question is at the heart of this
admiring ode to the Mediterranean Italian island situated to the west of Italy between France and
Algeria and Tunisia. When the author and his family stayed there in 2017, and during later visits,
they found a vibrant debate swirling over Sardinia’s cultural and historical significance.
Archaeological discoveries such as thousands of nuraghi (ancient megalithic structures found
nowhere else) established the island as a Bronze Age cradle of civilization. Biggers’ accounts,
which meander between topics including language, famous Sardinians, his tours of various sites
and cities, art, and the ways Sardinian culture is expressed today, are presented as a form of
storytelling instead of as a tourist guide or extensive history. He captures moments in history
from the time of Cicero through the island’s role in post-Revolution France’s ambitions and all the
way to WWII, when the Allies planted a false story about invading the island. A fine mix of
geography and history that offers a vigorous riposte to the various misunderstandings heaped
upon Sardinia.