Maltese folklore & stories: 10 Books for your Home’s library (or shelf)



Nothing brings tensions in Malta and Gozo to a boil like local elections. You may call Maltese people dramatic, but it’s understandable: we’re deciding who writes our next chapter, and we all want what is best for the future of our homes.

We want to leave the fighting over who’s a better fit for office to the rest of the archipelago.

Instead, we want to recommend you some books with stories from Malta’s yesteryear. At most, these books can help you get a closer read at Malta’s story. At the very least, they can turn your House into a tiny palace filled with Malta’s most enduring memories.


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Rules of the house!










1. The Maltese Bestiary

Stephan D. Mifsud

A compendium of supernatural entities, magical plants, ancient gods and a host of other legendary beings — almost lost from Maltese culture in the buzz of modern lifestyle.

Illustrated with realistic depictions and concise descriptions gathered from age-old sources.

€25.00

Order online here.

2. DO-RE-MI – Kant u logħob tat-tfal Maltin

Compiled by Victor Fenech, designed by Joe Mallia

Complemented with drawings that are sure to make you nostalgic, this relatively short book will guide you through a plethora of games and songs that were at one time popular amongst Maltese children.

€5.00 – €7.00

Order online here.

3. OLD LEGENDS OF MALTA & GOZO

Written by Victor Fenech, illustrated by Joe Mallia

This book takes us through five of our archipelago’s most enduring and popular legends. Three are from Malta, and two from Gozo. Each is taken from a different period in our nation’s history.

€7.00

Order online here.

4. OLD FOLK TALES OF THE MALTESE ISLANDS

Written by Manwel Magri SJ

Translated by Victor Fenech

Illustrated by Frank Schembri

Just a few of the folk tales gathered by the Jesuit priest Manwel Magri in the early 20th century. These tales promise a sweet voyage into the customs, beliefs, and obstacles that shaped the story of Maltese and Gozitans.

€5.00 – €7.00

Order online here.

5. UNCOMMON MALTA & GOZO

Various contributors, edited by Emma Mattei, designed by Jon Banthorpe

Made up of explorations into the country’s history, diversity, and lore, this book blooms with reportage, travel writing, anecdotes, memory maps, off-beat routes and more.

The stories and suggestions are provided by a wide-ranging group of contributors: Maltese living here and abroad, expatriates who are resident and visitors, both frequent and novel.

€25.00

Order online here.

6. 25 YEARS IN A MALTESE KITCHEN

Photography by Kurt Arrigo, design by Mark Lightfoot, written by Pippa Mattei

If the thought of Mediterranean cooking conjures up ideas of tasty colourful dishes, prepared and eaten in sun-drenched Bougainvillae-filled terraces accompanied by fruity wine, lively conversation and a relaxed atmosphere, then this book is for you.

Filled with easy to follow recipes and anecdotes, this book is fantastic for culinary fans who wants to add Maltese flavours into their creations.

Order online here.








7. STEJJER MINN TARF IR-RAĦAL

Miktub minn Ġorġ Borg

This book will provide a meeting place between you and the many characters that made up Malta’s social fabric in the past, from the youngest of children, to the most vulnerable of the elderly.

€9.00

Order online here.

8. DISAPPEARING MALTA 360º

In this book, the vanishing trades, crafts and skills of Malta and Gozo are collated together with beautiful photography and descriptions. This book reflects a vanishing world once taken for granted with portraits and interviews of men and women who for many years added their natural expertise to the nation’s way of life.

€140.00

Order online here.

9. MALTA 7000 YEARS OF HISTORY

Malta – 7000 Years of History is unique. The book traces the timeline of the islands’ history capturing the legacy of the various eras with superb photographs and text. The book also contains 17 definitive Malta postage stamps all inserted manually – one at the beginning of each chapter highlighting the introduction.

€250.00

Order online here.

10. Malta before history

Extraordinary facts unfold about the mysterious origins of prehistoric Maltese man and how he constructed such unmatched architecture. Chapters include studies on The Building of Megalithic Malta and The Bronze Age as well as the enigma of the Cart Ruts and whether the ‘Fat Lady’ was really a god or a goddess.

€250.00.

Order online here.

This is not an exhaustive list! Have any recommendations for fellow readers? Get in touch!

Our team at House Malta is always on the look-out for spaces, places, and things that are being built up, torn down, modernised, restored, or re-purposed – be it by a big team or a one-man(or woman)-army.

Do you have a story, a person, or a place in mind?

You can send us a message on our Facebook page or via email, info@house.mt.


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Lee

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Lee

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