The 1860 Expedition of the Thousand, in which a group of volunteers led by Giuseppe Garibaldi sailed from Quarto, near Genoa, landing on the west coast of Sicily and advancing to its capital Palermo in a bid to liberate the island from Bourbon rule, is perhaps the defining moment of the unification of Italy, and a testament to the bravery, resilience and vision of the country’s last condottiere.

Drawing on a wealth of contemporary diaries and other first-hand accounts by the protagonists of the events, and interspersing them with his own penetrating remarks, best-selling author Tim Parks retraces the journey of the “Mille” through the ragged landscape of Sicily under the blazing summer heat, bringing back to life an entire world in all its intricate complexity. Along the way he revisits old controversies and provides answers to many unresolved questions – as well as offering a vivid commentary on the Italy of today.

Click here for the author’s photogallery with a few photos for every day of the expedition and quotes from the various diarists.

Hardback – Reviews

‘Parks has done Garibaldi and his Redshirts proud in this eccentric hosannah to the travails of walking in the Sicilian uplands.’ Ian Thomson, The Spectator

‘The many diaries written by those who accompanied Garibaldi are skilfully blended with the author’s own story.’ Times Literary Supplement

‘There’s an admirable stubbornness also in the writer’s quiet demand for answers about the authentic relationship between present and past in Italy. A feeling that serene indifference isn’t enough lends distinction to this book.’  Literary Review