It began as a lark. The author’s father and a close friend, both American expatriates working in Libya during the early 1960’s, were given a week’s holiday by their respective bosses at the same time. Their families were still away with the children on long summer holidays. What should they do? Looking at a map of the Mediterranean, they put their finger on an unknown island and set off to discover. Dazzled by the beauty of Corsica on this first trip, a lifelong love affair with the island followed during which the two dabbled in real-estate but mostly, they just got to know the place well, made local friends and introduced their families to a vacation paradise. After several decades and many trips, a house initially purchased by the author’s parents for summer vacations gradually morphed into their permanent full-time residence as they sought refuge from the long winters of Vermont where they had previously lived. The birthplace of the Emperor Napoleon, Corsica has it all: Snow-capped peaks rising above 8,500 ft., tall pine forests, mountain streams and waterfalls, medieval church-steeple villages clinging to hillsides, pristine white sand beaches with crystal-clear water, old ports with character like Bastia, palm-tree lined promenades along shoreline boulevards in modern Ajaccio, early traces of both the Etruscan and Roman civilizations, Genoese tower fortifications overlooking the sea, narrow winding roads hugging rugged granite cliffs, luxury yachts moored beneath ancient citadels like Calvi and Bonifacio, ferry boats serving as links to the continent, countless water’s edge restaurants serving a variety of fresh fish, local produce and wine from the many local vineyards, amazing mountain vistas and spectacular sunsets in the evening as the sun dips over the horizon into the sea.

This twenty-six page hardbound book represents a personal photographic memoir of some of the author’s favorite places around the island, a selection of photos which he feels gives the reader a good and balanced snapshot of the most beautiful island in the Mediterranean.