[Book review] The literature of Malta : an example of unity in diversity

Abstract

"Unity in Diversity", the motto of the European Union, evokes within Maltese contexts an immemorial experience, As a small and mid-Mediterranean island state, Malta has doggedly sought to forge a distinct identity in the midst of diverse colonial influences whose impact remains appreciable even after independence. It is a struggle reflected in the writings of the Maltese, and Arnold Cassata, for whom diversity of another kind has long been a reality - his tenure in Maltese and Comparative Literature at the University of Malta has been complemented by activism in Maltese politics and for the European Greens - is well placed to chronicle the consequences for Maltese literature of the contrary attractions of nationalistic fervour and outward-looking affiliations.