Malta features prominently in Enrico Gurioli’s latest book, Il piccolo libro dei venti, which will be launched in Valletta tomorrow.
The wind is not only an atmospheric phenomenon. It is a mystery which made man curious, it is the vital breath that gave life to many myths and allowed man to travel by sea and discover new places.
The universal image of the wind rose, pointing in 32 directions and with its centre probably being Malta, became popular in the maritime republics.
Mr Gurioli is based in Bologna (where he represents Malta as honorary consul for the Emilia-Romagna region) but travels frequently to Malta.
He has been a correspondent for several Italian newspapers, has been a communications and marketing consultant and has lectured in communications. Occasionally, he has also contributed articles to Times of Malta.
A keen sailor and navigator, he has written about 10 books so far, referring to Malta in some of them. Apart from his latest work, Malta also features prominently in his Torri Costiere del Mediterraneo (2011), which has also been published in English.
In his 128-page Il piccolo libro dei venti, Mr Gurioli presents his particular vision of the wind, enriching it with curiosities, little known anecdotes and by reconstructing both minor and major historical events in which the wind is a protagonist.
The book will be launched at the Italian Cultural Institute in St George’s Square, Valletta, tomorrow at 6.30pm, in the presence of the author.
Laurence Grech, former editor of The Sunday Times of Malta, will speak about the book and Amina Contin will read some extracts.