Malta: Read Before You Go {Non-Fiction}

UPDATED: 2/5/2023

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When we booked our week-long trip to Malta, we did so on a whim (cheap flight!) and knew nothing about the country beyond the results of an hour’s long Google search that sold us on booking the flights. In the months leading up to the trip, we read some books about Malta that not only got us excited about going to see many of the sites tied to the books but also helped us to enjoy the trip so much more, garnering a greater understanding of the country’s history as we toured. Since returning, we have read more books about the country and hope to make it back some day to visit the places we didn’t get to on the first trip.

If you’re planning a trip to Malta or are considering it, these books will open your eyes to this amazing country! Scroll through the reviews below of 4 non-fiction books about Malta that we have read. We also used the Lonely Planet Malta and Gozo travel guide to plan for and use on the trip and found it to include very helpful information for this country.

Empires of the Sea: The Final Battle for the Mediterranean, 1521-1580 by Roger Crowley

368 pages, published 2009

YOU MAY ENJOY THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE:

Western and Eastern European history * Political history * Military history

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Roger crowley

British writer Roger Crowley has produced five works of narrative history, three of which center around the Mediterranean. Crowley spent some time living in Malta during his childhood as part of his father’s naval career. This experience left him with a lifelong interest in the region. If this book is any indication of his others, Crowley is talented at weaving a historically accurate set of facts and circumstances into a highly engaging story, a balance that is rare within history books but common among those truly talented writers of history.

I plan on adding his other books to my book list. The other two Mediterranean-focused books are: Constantinople: The Last Great Siege and City of Fortune: How Venice Ruled the Seas. His most recent books are Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire and Accursed Tower: The Fall of Acre and the End of the Crusades.

REVIEW OF Empires of the Sea: The Final Battle for the Mediterranean, 1521-1580 by Roger Crowley

Much of Malta’s history has been shaped by chance in the form of geography. The island nation sits right in the middle of the Mediterranean, a hotbed of human activity throughout the ages, and a location which has made it a prime territory for the clashes of civilizations. The importance that the country played as the seat of the Knights of St. John in the 16th century is brought to life in this book. But first, the story begins on the island of Rhodes (in modern Greece) and establishes the contemporary society forming up around the East (the Islamic Ottoman Empire) and the West (Christian Europe). Crowley introduces readers to several Ottoman rulers, including Suleiman, and the traditions and culture of their society.

When the Christian Knights of St. John lost at Rhodes, the Pope granted them Malta to lick their wounds and re-arm for a future battle. This was all done without regard for the people already living on Malta, but such is papal decree. Once in Malta, the story picks up with the establishment of the group on the island, the building of their fortresses (several of which are still standing and open to the public today!), and preparation for the inevitable clash that came with the famous Siege of Malta of 1565. The book offers blow-by-blow descriptions that are colorful, graphic, and vivid thanks in part to memoirs and notes left behind by those who experienced it. While in Malta near these forts and looking out over the same blue waters, I was able to picture the details of the book playing out before me, which is not something most historic books leave readers with! Not to mention that the walled city of Mdina, which is an absolute must-visit on a trip to the country, was an important epicenter of fighting and protection for the civilians island-bound.

As a student of American schools and a political science college major, basically all of this history was new to me. The reality is that none of us can learn about the whole world and so most of our education systems teach us local history or whatever is deemed important at the time based on global conflicts. What was particularly fascinating (to me) was juxtaposing the goings-on of this Mediterranean-centered world with the far northern European books on Scotland I had read just beforehand due to our trip to Scotland (read that blog here). For example, Mary Queen of Scots lived from 1542-1587, so I had a clear understanding of the various religious conflicts occurring within Christendom in Britain at the same time that Crowley’s book was describing the struggle for survival between the Christians and Muslims contending for European religious might.

It is not an exaggeration to say that this book left me with a substantially improved understanding of the clashes between the west and the east in this era and helped bring Malta to life in mesmerizing way. Even on our last night on the trip, away from the major cities, we ended up in Marsaxlokk Harbor, home to the beautifully bright Maltese fishing boats, which was the harbor in which the Ottoman ships docked during the Siege. If history is inescapable in Malta (and it is), then this book will help bring the history to the forefront.

Churchill and Malta’s War, 1939-1943 by Douglas Austin

288 pages, published 2010

YOU MAY ENJOY THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE:

Western and Eastern European history * Political history * Military history

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: douglas austin

Like Roger Crowley, Douglas Austin has a childhood tie to Malta: he lived there during World War II when his father was stationed there with the British navy. With a PhD in Military History, this is Austin’s third book on Malta. The other two are Malta and British Strategic Policy 1925-1943 and Churchill and Churchill and Malta: A Special Relationship. Whereas Crowley was attracted to the earlier history of the island, Austin has focused his efforts on the World War II era history that he lived through, to take a fresh look at the facts that emerged since the end of World War II and can now better shape the historic narrative than what was known at the time.

Austin paints a picture of a Malta at war from the earliest days leading up to the war to the deprivations amidst the heaviest fighting. He uses archives and extensive research to explain Churchill’s approach to this strategic British foothold in the Mediterranean in a way that is both factual but also emotional - as there have been claims and debates over the years whether Churchill nearly deserted the Maltese. Austin also tells the story of the bust of Winston Churchill that today sits in the Upper Barrakka Gardens and which we were able to visit.

REVIEW OF Churchill and Malta’s War, 1939-1943 by Douglas Austin

As a thanks for his efforts in Malta, the Maltese people sent a sculptor to England to capture Churchill’s likeness. In turn, he sent the bust back to Malta for installation. Today it resides in the beautiful Upper Barrakka Gardens overlooking the h… — As a thanks for his efforts in Malta, the Maltese people sent a sculptor to England to capture Churchill’s likeness. In turn, he sent the bust back to Malta for installation. Today it resides in the beautiful Upper Barrakka Gardens overlooking the harbor in Valletta.

This book is, strangely, a perfect one to read right after Crowley’s book that focuses on Siege of Malta. This approach allows readers to skip forward in time about 400 years and find history - in many ways - repeating itself on literally the exact same small dot of land in the Mediterranean Sea. Of course World War II was not an East vs West conflict nor a war for religious supremacy, but it was a war between two incongruous groups fighting for their way of life with Malta again stuck in the middle.

While Malta is fully independent today, it was part of the British Empire during World War II, an outpost providing a strategic toehold from which Britain could access Africa and other countries surrounding the Mediterranean. When Italy, parts of which are a mere 100 miles from Malta, sided with Germany against the British, the die was cast and Malta would play a starring role in the British World War II story, like it or not.

Austin’s book covers those earliest days of the war with all its unknowns, the requests from Malta to Britain for specific anti-air and offensive weaponry, the promises, and the questionably helpful deliveries. He explains the good nature of the Maltese in working with the British throughout the war, including periods of extreme hardship where food was incredibly scarce and supply boats to the island met dismal ends en route. One of the most fascinating parts of the story is the way that many of the Medieval fortresses, described at length in Crowley’s book, were repurposed to modern uses. Forts that were used in the mid 16th century were also used for wars in the mid 20th century and yet remain standing today!

Malta was the recipient of substantial bombing during the war, though it could have been far worse. Today, visitors can see which parts of the island have newer buildings, and that is largely due to the destruction of prior architecture during World War II. Bomb shelters used on both Malta and the smaller island of Gozo are still in existence and can be visited today.

What I pictured through most of this book is how scary it would be trapped on a small island with limited means to bring in food and other supplies, planes bombing from the skies, and the significant resilience it took to get through that time. Echoes of the era show up in the strangest of places. When we visited the Neolithic burial site of Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a short drive from the capital of Valletta, we learned that it served as an underground play area for children during World War II.

Austin’s book is not as dense as some historic books can be, but it is certain more of a traditional historic research-focused book for the most part. This is absolutely not a criticism, just a point of comparison to the more narrative story painted in Crowley’s book, and I would highly recommend this for those interested in Malta’s important and under-recognized role in World War II, particularly the role it played in Britain’s access to the war in northern Africa. An interesting angle to the book is the fact that Austin was personally tied to the island during the war, a relatively uncommon situation for a writer of history.

Malta, Prehistory and Temples by David H. Trump

319 pages, published 2002

YOU MAY ENJOY THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE:

Ancient history * Archaeology

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: David H. Trump

Trump is a British archaeologist who focused his studies primarily on Malta over the course of a long career before he passed away in 2016. He was present and participated in excavations of important Maltese pre-history sites starting in the mid 1950s. He also worked at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta, which today houses important finds from sites he studied and excavated. He published a number of books and papers focused on Malta and a smaller number on other archaeological areas of interest in the broader Mediterranean region.

REVIEW OF Malta, Prehistory and Temples by David H. Trump

Dustin picked this book up from the small gift shop when we were visiting Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum on our trip to Malta. Having just toured the underground Neolithic burial site, our interest was piqued to learn more about the Temple builders on the island of Malta and Gozo.

This compendium of pre-history is both academic and also approachable for the average archaeologically-minded reader. It covers the eras before the Temple builders emerged, the Temple period itself, and the time after the Temple period with discussions of the people (what is known of them), the artifacts (what is left of them), and the implications of the finds - for example the potential trading routes in the area.

Having read this upon our return home after having visited several temple sites (Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum and Tarxien Temples), we realized we visited two important sites but that there are so many more that are worthy of a visit. This is a book I would recommend for those who either are planning a visit to Malta or who have a strong interest in the archaeology of pre-history Mediterranean peoples. One of the best parts of the book is that it is infused with photos, drawings, and graphics so for those unable to visit but very interested, the book will come to life in a way that is the next best thing to an actual visit!

Almost a Catastrophe! A Welsh Family’s Adventures in Malta by Janet Corke

173 pages, published in 2021

YOU MAY ENJOY THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE:

Travelogues * Books set in Malta * Memoirs

TRAVEL INSPIRATION:

As we found during our own travels to Malta, the country is at a fascinating geographic crossroads, with its unique culture and history, influenced by Italy and broader Europe to its north and Africa to the south. And all the while, surrounded by the sunny, blue Mediterranean. This memoir is the story of a Welsh expat who spent three years living among the Maltese and paints colorful depictions of the country as it was in the early to mid 1960s, a jump in history to an interesting time and place. In the early 60s, Malta was less than two decades past its role as a strategic stronghold for the Allies during World War II, a designation that led to significant deprivations and bombing of the small island nation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: JANET CORKE

Almost a Catastrophe! is Janet Corke’s second memoir, following A Hidden Home in the Gwydyr Forest (2019), which is about her time in Snowdonia, in her native land of Wales. Corke is a retired lawyer who resides in Liverpool.

REVIEW OF ALMOST A CATASTROPHE! A WELSH FAMILY’S ADVENTURES IN MALTA BY JANET CORKE

From the start of Corke’s memoir, it is clear that she is a great storyteller, approaches life with a healthy openness to new experiences, and has a sense of humor. All of these facets and her descriptive writing make for a highly engaging read. I read the book in just a few days, staying up too late one night but keen on reading what happened next!

In 1963, the author, her husband, and their toddler relocated from Wales to Malta to begin a 2-year (that became a 3-year) stint in the country after a sudden shift in her husband, Charlie’s, work assignment. From the start, the story has a compelling angle: young couple with a toddler, enmeshed in the cool climate of Wales, is given a 4-week notice that their lives are about to change entirely. The author was searching for a job to start her career as a lawyer and had to put everything on hold for the adventures that awaited them.

One of my favorite parts of Corke’s writing was how it naturally exposed the world as it was in the 1960s in general and in the country of Malta specifically - the fact that many people were not used to flying or hadn’t flown at all, that some refrigerators in Malta were parafin refrigerators, that children ran freely away from watchful parents, that phone calls back home to the UK were pricy, scheduled in advance and might be three minute long conversations on special days. Of course the world was as it was sixty years ago, but Corke’s writing really brings that world to life in a way that is mesmerizing, to imagine a family uprooted and adapting without the use of technologies that would make a similar experience today both different and easier.

Most of the expats in Malta at that time were part of the military and had their own social clubs and activities that were completely separate from the local Maltese populations. As a family there on civilian business, the Corke family straddled both worlds with friends in each. These social dynamics are explored throughout the memoir and provide an interesting social commentary on that era. Towards the latter part of the book, Corke explains some of the interesting local characters who became their friends and who were part of some of the political movements in Malta, which were in a rocky state in that era: World War II was fading into the background and the idea of an independent Malta was on the horizon. The country became independent from Great Britain in 1974 after 150 years of their rule during the peak years of colonization.

Almost a Catastrophe! follows the Corkes as they arrive in Malta and experience a near miss (from whence the title) that I won’t give away here to their early days staying in temporary housing. It follows their search for a more permanent home and their (mis)adventures there, the return home to the UK for the author to have her second child given the lack of health coverage in Malta, their friendships and holidays abroad in a world so far from their home in Snowdonia, their experiencing of the old cities of Mdina and Vittoriosa (Birgu), and the author’s husband’s hand-built canoe to keep him company on long nights alone while the author was having their child countries away. And it was that canoe that led to them finally renting a second smaller apartment before returning to the UK at the end of their time in Malta in order to have a place to both vacation and provide storage for the canoe. And finally, their return drive (via roads and ferries) from the UK to Malta in the early 70s to collect said canoe and take it back home. And all of that - the arc of the story - is brought to life with fascinating details and memories that brings the author, her husband, and children to life.

I was riveted by Corke’s memoir and plan on reading her prior book, which may very well compel me to plan a trip to Wales!

Return to Malta, A Travelogue and a Memoir by Anne Fiorentino Pflug

170 pages, published 2018

YOU MAY ENJOY THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE:

Memoirs * Travel journals

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Anne Fiorentino Pflug

Pflug was born in Malta and lived there for the first decade of her life before her family moved to the United States, where she resides today. She has made several trips to parts of Malta in more recent years and still has family in the country. Her view of Malta is formed by the combination of shadowy childhood memories from 70 years ago and the eyes of an adult visiting the country, offering an interesting perspective.

REVIEW OF Return to Malta, A Travelogue and a Memoir by Anne Fiorentino Pflug

This memoir is a compilation of travel diary, revisiting of youthful memories, and charming details. While the book itself is quite short at 170 pages, the font is also large and so in reality the book is probably more like half that size. It is, therefore, a very quick read. This is truly what it looks like it is on the surface, which I found fascinating as a blogger and as someone interested in other people and their life experiences.

While not self-published, the book was published by a tiny publishing house, and so some of my frustrations were with the editing of it - and the inconsistency of the narrative: while billed as a compilation of multiple trips, which it appears to be, there is also a day 1, day 2 flow. Overall, I enjoyed this as a light read. While I picked it up in advance of our trip, I didn’t end up reading it until over 4 months after we returned, which was probably the right time to read it. It reminded me of our wonderful time touring the country ourselves. If you enjoy reading travel journeys and stories of personal experience, you’ll probably enjoy this as a lovely story of one woman’s experience to revisit the country of her youth.

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