A Writer Reflects on Losing Her Family's Sicilian Island Sanctuary
The author recounts the emotional loss of her family's house on the Aeolian island of Alicudi, which had been a refuge for 34 years. The house, acquired by her uncle in the late 1980s and visited since 1992, was sold by her parents without her knowledge. The island, accessible only by donkey and 450 steps, provided a creative and emotional sanctuary for the author and her mother, a writer. The sale prompted reflections on family dynamics, inheritance, and the need for ritual in loss.
Key facts
- The house was on the island of Alicudi in the Aeolian Islands, Sicily.
- The family had been visiting since 1992.
- The house was sold by the author's parents without her consultation.
- The author learned of the sale from a friend, not her mother.
- The island has no cars or roads; transport is by donkey.
- The house had 450 steps to reach.
- The author's mother used the house as a writing retreat.
- The author's uncle painted a mural of Stromboli's volcano in the house.
Entities
Artists
- D.H. Lawrence
Institutions
- Vogue
Locations
- Sicily
- Italy
- Aeolian Islands
- Alicudi
- Palermo
- Stromboli
- Greece