Capricious Tales From Malta

A translation of Għall-Glorja tal-Patrija! – Kapriċċi Patrijottiċi, winner of the Malta National Book Prize 2020.

Capricious Tales from Malta – A History in its Making is a collection of twenty short stories by Aleks Farrugia that take the reader through the course of Maltese history in a bid to understand what being Maltese is all about.

The collection begins during the temple building era in prehistory and moves on to the transition from the Carthaginian to the Roman period. It explores the origins of Christianity, the Arab rule, the Norman conquest, the inquisition, the Great Siege of 1565, the rule of the Knights of Malta, the Napoleonic conquest and the Maltese revolt, the British colonial period, independence, life within the European Union and a story about the future, exploring themes of race and multiculturalism. The stories speak about love, revenge, brotherhood, death, gender, freedom and family. They seek to provide the reader with different, often contradicting, points of view.

Some of the tales have a light humorous touch, sometimes they verge on the satirical; others are more dramatic. The reader will find each story to be unique, in setting, tone and characterisation, bringing together different actors from around the Mediterranean and beyond.

Translated by Adrian Scerri

“The translation, done by Adrian Scerri, retains the flavour and idiom of the original Maltese version, while introductory notes by the translator, himself a historian, place the stories within the context of Maltese history, especially useful for the non-Maltese who can now enjoy these wonderful stories inspired by the character of us Maltese.” – SKS Publishers