La vita in Palermo cento e più anni fa, Volume 1

A vivid picture of Palermo at the close of the eighteenth century unfolds, guided by a scholar who blends official records with the hidden diaries of local families. Through senate decrees, church registers, and the candid notes of travelers who lingered for months, listeners hear the rhythms of market stalls, the etiquette of the aristocracy, and the everyday concerns of the city’s artisans and laborers. The narrative paints a world where political reforms are just beginning to stir, yet daily life remains anchored in long‑standing customs.

The author’s careful footnotes keep the story lively without overwhelming the listener, offering just enough context to understand the sources while letting the anecdotes breathe. As foreign observers—governors, scholars, and curious wanderers—describe their slow, immersive journeys across the island, their impressions reveal a Palermo both isolated from and connected to broader European currents. This first volume invites you to step into the streets, taverns, and council chambers of a bygone Sicily, experiencing its unique social fabric before the upheavals of the nineteenth century.