A book of 516 pages addressing every aspect of the Island of Beauty: history, politics, language, religion, sociology, arts, geography, nature .. Thierry Ottaviani, with pedagogy and humor made this small encyclopedia of accessible and valuable 7 to 77 years. I read it in one sitting, often with a smile, before going to Corsica. Once there I found that this book is very well substituted with a guide: during my trip to Bonifacio I had in mind the odyssey of Ulysses and his crew who have docked at the port before being furiously hunted by Lestrygons (rest assured, the Corsicans are very welcoming today) and during my detour to Porto-Vecchio I remembered that I could escape the concrete and pests - mosquitoes, jetsetters .. - in taking refuge in the north, at the Ospedale, to breathe a different air. The author also provides what wisely explore the area explaining what trails (hiking, especially) borrow from north to south, which products and dishes taste, what to visit monuments, flora and fauna which observe and respect .. I also appreciated that the neck twist a few prejudices, providing solid arguments to oppose the passage Whiners.
I will always enjoy refer to this book because if I ask myself any questions I need only leaf through to find at least a partial answer. A Must Read for (ap) go underground!
