Capricious Tales from Malta – A History in its Making is a collection of 20 short stories published by SKS Publishers that take readers through the course of Maltese history in a bid to understand what being Maltese is all about.

The book is an English translation of the award-winning short story collection Għall-Glorja tal-Patrija! by Aleks Farrugia.

Inspired by the ‘apocryphal tales’ of Czech writer Karol Capek, these stories provide an alternative history of well-known episodes of Maltese history, blurring the line between the historical and fiction.

“All throughout the collection is a study of situations and characters, and Farrugia has been lauded by critics of the Maltese edition of these stories for his creativity and for the strong characters he presents,” say the publishers. 

“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.”

The collection begins during the temple-building era in prehistory and moves on to the transition from the Carthaginian to the Roman period.

The stories seek to provide the reader with different, often contradicting, points of view

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 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,” continue the publishers. 

This award-winning collection of short stories explores the history of Malta, at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, blurring the lines between the historical and the fictional, attempting in the process to explore the character of one of the smallest nations in the world.

The collection begins during the temple-building era in prehistory and moves on to the transition from the Carthaginian to the Roman period. Photo: Shutterstock.com

For centuries considered the playground of the powers that dominated the Mediterranean, the Maltese have been forged by war, religion, migration, slavery, colonialism, fratricide and factionalism, and to this day have to engage with their past as they look towards their future, they explain.

These stories, with humour and pathos, introduce the reader to complex characters who often find themselves having to deal with external circumstances with wonder and unease, trying to figure out a way to belong but never really succeeding.

Published by SKS, Capricious Tales from Malta reproduces the original cover designed by artist Luca Cauchi and has edited by Martin Bugelli. It can be found for sale in major bookshops around Malta and Gozo at the price of €15 or at the online bookshop skspublishers.com.