Mussolini's Island

This is a fascinating portrayal of the 1943 battle for Sicily, as told through the eyes of people who were actually there. A well-written and extremely valuable account of an invasion -- and an era -- era whose eye-witnesses are now very hard to find. Follain has done a wonderful job of capturing the spirit of his characters.

This book presents an unvarnished look at the invasion of Sicily from American, British, Italian and German protagonists. The result is a compelling narrative, and a very worthy successor to books like "The Longest Day" or "A Bridge Too Far", or the German works of Paul Carrell. If you want the story of the campaign, try Carlo D'Este's "Bitter Victory." But if you want to know what it was like for the individual soldier or civilian, read "Mussolini's Island."

An important story, well told. By telling the story in a narrative style through eight ordinary people (civilian and milltiary and all sides) who were actually there, this brief bit of history is brought alive. Far more readable, and better written, than most fiction best sellers. If you're looking for historical minutia or battle field strategy, this is not the book for you. This is a book for someone intersted in the human story. One of the best historical books I have read in the past year. Highly recommended.