Old Calabria: Travels Through Historic Rural Italy at the Turn of the 20th Century

Travel author Norman Douglas shares his experiences and photographs of Calabria, a beautiful and historic yet secluded region of rural Italy, as it was at the turn of the 20th century.

A wonderful guide to a region home to breathtaking landscapes and ancient ruins, Old Calabria contains many details of the region and is described from a perspective of the eloquent and well-informed author. The manners of the locals, the customs and appearance of their villages and farmsteads, and the agriculture of the countryside, are narrated evocatively.

Over the centuries Calabria has received migrants from Asia, Africa and elsewhere, and the profile of the people - who clearly descend from these migrants - that Douglas has much interest. The cultural and religious customs of Calabria are shown to have evolved somewhat in isolation to the rest of Italy, and life is shown to move slowly and place great emphasis upon traditions and the Roman Catholic faith.

Even during Douglas tour, the effects of modernization were being felt - deforestation was already becoming a problem, as the rolling hills of Calabria had their trees stripped away to meet the demands of industry. Malaria was still known in the region, which had grappled with the disease for centuries. We hear conversations with local doctors and farmers, who shed insight into how life is in the secluded lands.

Norman Douglas spent a lifetime authoring travel books on popular destinations as well as secluded places. At the peak of his popularity in the early-to-mid 20th century, he was renowned and appreciated for his tranquil writing style; his readers appreciative of how well this style fitted his Mediterranean journeys.