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"What is the Mediterranean? A thousand and one things at the same time. Not just one landscape, but innumerable landscapes. Not one sea, but a series of seas. Not one civilization, but civilizations piled up one upon the other." (Fernand Braudel) This is all true, but the great paradox of the Mediterranean is that, despite the fact that the region is so varied, it presents itself as a single, coherent image, a system where everything blends together as one unified entity. In order to explain this paradoxical cohesion, the author leads us on an exploration of the many different features that make up the geographical, philosophical and, cultural identity of the Mediterranean. In particular, a quest is set for those elements that constitute what Roland Barthes referred to, in speaking of Cy Twombly's work, as the "Mediterranean effect."

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Library Journal Review

Girard's (Matisse: The Wonder of Color) poetic perspective on the sea that is encircled by North Africa, Southern Europe, and the Levant provides a view of various locales along its shores, revealing a range of distinct cultures. To Girard, the Mediterranean is the center of the world where all things human are possible. This celebration of all things Mediterranean comprises the words of poets and the images of painters, using erudite text and lavish illustrations that include full-color reproductions and dramatic photographs. The sea is the thread that holds this diversity together. A native of the region, Girard has written for the traveler as much as for the art historian. His book's distinctive flair will be of interest to visitors of the area, as well as to artists, art historians, curators, literature teachers, and classics professors. Recommended for large public libraries as well as for school and museum art book collections. Ellen Bates, New York (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

For art historian Girard, his beloved Mediterranean is an "idealized dreamscape, a sentimental geography," a place wide open to the sort of dynamic interpretation and celebration that transpires within the covers of this unique, ingenious, colorful, and sophisticated volume. Girard begins with a lithe history of the region and its maps and then moves on to cover centuries' worth of regional representations. Diversely styled landscapes give way to lively analyses of Mediterranean narratives, such as Ulysses and The Thousand and One Nights; various archetypal figures--the monarch, odalisque, and fisherman; quintessential locales; and the arts, which, in keeping with his sensuous approach, include cuisine and gardening. These categories are wonderfully and aptly dishabille and energetically illustrated with a great range of reproductions, including Roman mosaics; works by Ingres, Corot, Matisse, Picasso, and Magritte; and lots of photographs, including portraits of Gina Lollobrigida and Anna Magnani. Girard's thoroughly enjoyable approach to a place so often burdened by historical reference is as refreshing as it is enlightening. Donna Seaman