Published in 1911 at nearly the same time that Norman Douglas moved from Italy to London,

describes and celebrates the region around Naples, particularly the Sorrento Peninsula and the island of Capri. It was in this region in 1888 that Douglas, a Scot born in Austria, had first experienced Italy and the Mediterranean, and it was here that he had settled in 1897. Many of the book's chapters had been written here, and it had been Douglas's success in placing some of them (as well as other pieces) in English periodicals that had led to his move. He was divorced, had exhausted his income, and hoped now to set himself up as a writer.

Appropriately enough, Siren Land opens with a discussion of “Sirens and their Ancestry”, a learned, leisurely stroll through the subject in what

779 words

Citation: Koger, Grove. "Siren Land". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 03 June 2004 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=2046, accessed 24 November 2024.]