Inspector Montalbano: A masterclass in being Sicilian

If you want to understand sicilianità (the essence of being Sicilian) forget hunting for sociology books: just watch inspector Salvo Montalbano eat lunch.

Created by literary master Andrea Camilleri, Montalbano isn't your typical detective. He doesn't chase suspects with Hollywood explosions. He operates instead on a fierce island logic: a healthy skepticism of distant Roman bureaucracy, an unyielding moral compass, and a deep reverence for the land and sea.

Nowhere is his Sicilian nature clearer than at the table. Whether sitting on his balcony in fictional Vigàta or at a seaside trattoria, Montalbano observes a sacred local rule: when you eat, you do not talk. To chatter while savoring fresh red mullet or Adelina’s arancini is far beyond poor manners, it's a crime against the food itself. He embodies an Sicilian superhero: stubborn integrity, effortless brilliance, and taking life slowly.

Want to get started with the Montalbano series?

Start by reading Book 1, La forma dell'acqua (The shape of water). See if you get carried away by Camilleri's prose. Then move to the TV series with the incredible Luca Zingaretti (seriously, could they have found a better Montalbano than Luca Zingaretti?), and of course let us know what you think!