24 Best 「grece」 Books of 2024| Books Explorer
- Mykonos: Portrait of a Vanished Era
- The Murderess (New York Review Books Classics)
- Austerity Measures: The New Greek Poetry
- Zorba the Greek
- The Sites of Ancient Greece
- An Island Sanctuary: A House in Greece
- Three Summers (New York Review Books Classics)
- Best-Kept Secrets of The Greek Islands
- Olympiad
- Living in Greece / Vivre en Grece
Experience the unspoiled beauty and traditional culture of this legendary Greek island, as it was in the late 1950sThere are hundreds of Greek islands. Why did Mykonos become, in just a few decades, one of the world’s top vacation spots? Part of the answer can be found in these remarkable images, which show the natural beauty and traditional island culture that initially attracted artists, writers, and celebrities like Jackie Kennedy.These photographs, taken in 1955 and 1957―many for National Geographic―re-create a daylong visit to Mykonos in the days before cars, running water, and electricity. We disembark in the Old Harbor and wander the picturesque streets of Chora (the main town), watching the townspeople at their daily tasks. We visit St. Panteleimon Monastery on a festival day, and take a caïque (a traditional wooden boat) to see the ruins on the neighboring island of Delos.Every photograph is reproduced as a full-page tritone of surpassing quality, and accompanied by a detailed caption. This book will fascinate modern-day visitors to Mykonos, as well as those who trace their roots to the Greek islands.
The Murderess is a bone-chilling tale of crime and punishment with the dark beauty of a backwoods ballad. Set on the dirt-poor Aegean island of Skiathos, it is the story of Hadoula, an old woman living on the margins of society and at the outer limits of respectability. Hadoula knows about herbs and their hidden properties, and women come to her when they need help. She knows women’s secrets and she knows the misery of their lives, and as the book begins, she is trying to stop her new-born granddaughter from crying so that her daughter can at last get a little sleep. She rocks the baby and rocks her and then the terrible truth hits her: there’s nothing worse than being born a woman, and there’s something that she, Hadoula, can do about that.Peter Levi’s matchless translation of Alexandros Papadiamantis’s astonishing novella captures the excitement and haunting poetry of the original Greek.
"When there is less to go around, people fight, grab, get tough. Lately, Greece and the Balkans have been living with more than their share of less . . . Poetry, though, is one thing there is more of. Much more." —from the Introduction Since the crisis hit in 2008, Greece has played host to a cultural renaissance unlike anything seen in Southern Europe for over 30 years. Poems of startling depth and originality are being written by native Greeks, émigrés and migrants alike. They grapple with the personal and the political; with the small revelations of gardening and the viciousness of streetfights; with bodies, love, myth, migration and economic crisis. The very best of the writing to emerge from that creative ferment—much of it never before translated into English—is gathered for the first time, divided into six sections which make the landscape of different venues and "school" immediately comprehensible. The result is a map to the complex territory of a still-evolving scene, and a unique window onto the lived experience of Greek society now.
A stunning new translation of the classic book—and basis for the beloved Oscar-winning film—brings the clarity and beauty of Kazantzakis’s language and story alive.First published in 1946, Zorba the Greek, is, on one hand, the story of a Greek working man named Zorba, a passionate lover of life, the unnamed narrator who he accompanies to Crete to work in a lignite mine, and the men and women of the town where they settle. On the other hand it is the story of God and man, The Devil and the Saints; the struggle of men to find their souls and purpose in life and it is about love, courage and faith.Zorba has been acclaimed as one of the truly memorable creations of literature—a character created on a huge scale in the tradition of Falstaff and Sancho Panza. His years have not dimmed the gusto and amazement with which he responds to all life offers him, whether he is working in the mine, confronting mad monks in a mountain monastery, embellishing the tales of his life or making love to avoid sin. Zorba’s life is rich with all the joys and sorrows that living brings and his example awakens in the narrator an understanding of the true meaning of humanity. This is one of the greatest life-affirming novels of our time.Part of the modern literary canon, Zorba the Greek, has achieved widespread international acclaim and recognition. This new edition translated, directly from Kazantzakis’s Greek original, is a more faithful rendition of his original language, ideas, and story, and presents Zorba as the author meant him to be.
'The Sites of Ancient Greece' presents 150 of Georg Gerster's most spectacular and evocative photographs of the landscapes and architecture - both ancient and modern - of Greece, a country he has visited and photographed numerous times in his long career. The photographs in this book were taken between 1996 and 2006. A short preface by Gerster himself and an introductory essay convey a sense of why this country, its history, myths and landscapes, have captured the hearts and minds of so many for thousands of years, from ancient kings and poets to modern holiday-makers. In addition, a map of the featured locations and a timeline listing the key dates, events and eras of the ancient Greek world help set the scene for the picture section to follow. Arranged geographically by region, the images in this book take the viewer on a guided tour of Greece and her islands, from cloud-topped Mount Olympus, home of the Gods, in the northern mainland to the isle of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea.
With vivid colors, bold simplicity, and the use of stone, stucco, and tile, the Patmos house of renowned interior designer John Stefanidis is a source of inspiration for homeowners and decorators worldwide. John Stefanidis has created a quintessential island house in Patmos, Greece. Its bold use of Mediterranean colors, natural materials, and crisp, clean lines epitomize this comfortable yet sophisticated style, which is surprisingly easy to evoke at home. Sun-drenched rooms make use of such materials as tile, stone, and stucco. One of the hallmarks of the house is its emphasis on indoor/outdoor living: spaces such as the "garden rooms" and the "breakfast terrace" are outside, yet are thought of as parts of the house. The exquisite gardens are further evidence of a style that easily flows from the inside to the outside of this beautiful and inspiring home. In his own words, Stefanidis explains how the house has evolved over many years, reflecting the designer’s love for the island, his original use of vibrant color, his eclectic and cosmopolitan aesthetic, and a desire to combine comfort with style. With two hundred vibrant photographs, the book demonstrates how the picturesque scenery of an island retreat and its rich history and culture provide inspiration for present-day living.
A tender story about three sisters coming of age in Greece over the course of three summers, now available after being out of print for over twenty years. Three Summers is the story of three sisters growing up in the countryside near Athens before the Second World War. Living in a big old house surrounded by a beautiful garden are Maria, the oldest sister, as sexually bold as she is eager to settle down and have a family of her own; beautiful but distant Infanta; and dreamy and rebellious Katerina, through whose eyes the story is mostly observed. Over three summers, the girls share and keep secrets, fall in and out of love, try to figure out their parents and other members of the tribe of adults, take note of the weird ways of friends and neighbors, worry about and wonder who they are. Karen Van Dyck’s translation captures all the light and warmth of this modern Greek classic.
Encompassing all six of Greece's island groups - starting in the west with the Ionian islands, moving east to the Argo-Saronics, continuing to the Cyclades, Crete and the Dodecanese, circling up to the North Aegean islands and back round to the Sporades and Evia - "The Secrets of the Greek Islands" highlights some of the most beautiful landscapes and villages of the Mediterranean. From the well known hot spots of Corfu, Rhodes and Kos down to the smaller or lesser known islands such as Meganisi, Poros and Alonnisos, this stunning giftbook takes you on a journey through olive groves, secret coves and white-washed villas clinging to the rocks.
This historical novel takes as its basis the fact that 2776 years ago a group of men ran between two piles of stones, and invented history. If, that is, history can be believed. All we know now is the name of the man who won the race in the first ever Olympic Games in 776 BC.
Mythical homes in the land of the gods: Discover the best of Greece's hidden treats Barbara and René Stoeltie bring you yet another excursion to the best of the worlds country homes—this time to the mythical land of Greece. Go island hopping with the Stoelties and discover the best of Greece’s hidden treats, such as the hilltop vacation house of Robert Browning, descendent of the English poet, in Hydra, a stunning 18th century Turkish-Greek palace—the former residence of a Turkish governor, now inhabited by a farmer and his family—on the Argo-Saronic Islands, and the cozy, romantic home of Onassiss ex-pilot Basile Touloumtzoglou and his wife, Tilly. The magic of Greece’s old-world charm drips from the pages of this book, which features 22 homes throughout the country. Text in English, French, and German
This text looks at the best of the world's country homes in the mythical land of Greece. Go island hopping with the Stoelties and discover the best of Greece's hidden treats, such as the hilltop summer house of Robert Browning, descendant of the English poet, in Hydra, or the romantic home of Onassis's ex-pilot basile Touloumtzoglou and his wife Tilly. This book features 22 country houses found in Greece.
"Flawlessly translated, Amanda Michalopolou's WIKMBF uses the backdrop of Greek politics, radical protests, and the art world to explore the dangers and joys that come with BFFs. Or, as the narrator puts it, 'odiodsamato,' which translates roughly as 'frienemies.'"—Gary Shteyngart\nIn Amanda Michalopoulou's Why I Killed My Best Friend, a young girl named Maria is lifted from her beloved Africa and relocated to her native Greece. She struggles with the transition, hating everything about Athens: the food, the air, the school, her classmates, the language. Just as she resigns herself to misery, Anna arrives. Though Anna's refined, Parisian upbringing is the exact opposite of Maria's, the two girls instantly bond over their common foreignness, becoming inseparable in their relationship as each other's best friend, but also as each other's fiercest competition—be it in relation to boys, talents, future aspirations, or political beliefs.\nFrom Maria and Anna's grade school days in '70s, post-dictatorship Greece, to their adult lives in the present, Michalopoulou charts the ups, downs, and fallings-out of the powerful self-destructive bond only true best friends can have. Simply and beautifully written, Why I Killed My Best Friend is a novel that ultimately compares and explores friendship as a political system of totalitarianism and democracy.\nAmanda Michalopoulou is the author of five novels, two short story collections, and a successful series of children's books. One of Greece's leading contemporary writers, Michalopoulou has won that country's highest literary awards, including the Revmata Prize and the Diavazo Award. Her story collection, I'd Like, was longlisted for the Best Translated Book Award.\nKaren Emmerich is a translator of Modern Greek poetry and prose. Her recent translations include volumes by Yannis Ritsos, Margarita Karapanou, Ersi Sotiropoulos, and Miltos Sachtouris. She has a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Columbia University and is on the faculty of the University of Oregon.
A New York Times Bestseller“At once a scholar’s homage to The Iliad and startlingly original work of art….A book I could not put down.” —Ann Patchett, author of The Dutch HouseA thrilling, profoundly moving, and utterly unique retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War from the bestselling author of CirceA tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, a marvelously conceived and executed page-turner, Miller’s monumental debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights—and fans of Mary Renault, Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, and Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series will delight in this unforgettable journey back to ancient Greece in the Age of Heroes.“A captivating retelling of The Iliad and events leading up to it through the point of view of Patroclus: it’s a hard book to put down, and any classicist will be enthralled by her characterisation of the goddess Thetis, which carries the true savagery and chill of antiquity.” — Donna Tartt, The Times
Mythos is a modern collection of Greek myths, stylishly retold by legendary writer, actor, and comedian Stephen Fry. Fry transforms the adventures of Zeus and the Olympians into emotionally resonant and deeply funny stories, without losing any of their original wonder.This stunning book features classical artwork inspired by the myths, as well as learned notes from the author.• Each adventure is infused with Fry's distinctive wit, voice, and writing style• Connoisseurs of the Greek myths will appreciate this fresh-yet-reverential interpretation, while newcomers will feel welcome• Retellings brim with humor and emotion and offer rich cultural contextCelebrating the thrills, grandeur, and unabashed fun of the Greek myths, Mythos breathes life into ancient tales—from Pandora's box to Prometheus's fire.This gorgeous volume invites you to explore a captivating world with the brilliant storyteller Stephen Fry as your guide.• A collectible volume complete with a textured case, a foil-stamped jacket, and full-color art throughout• The perfect gift for Greek mythology and history buffs, lovers of ancient Greece, art aficionados, and devoted fans of Stephen Fry• Add it to the shelf with books like Circe by Madeline Miller, Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman, and Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton
In this sequel to the bestselling Mythos, legendary author and actor Stephen Fry moves from the exploits of the Olympian gods to the deeds of mortal heroes. Perseus. Jason. Atalanta. Theseus. Heracles. Rediscover the thrills, grandeur, and unabashed fun of the Greek myths. Whether recounting a tender love affair or a heroic triumph, Fry deftly finds resonance with our own modern minds and hearts. Illustrated throughout with classical art inspired by the myths, this gorgeous volume invites you to explore a captivating world with a brilliant storyteller as your guide.• Each adventure is infused with Fry's distinctive voice and writing style.• Connoisseurs of the Greek myths will appreciate this fresh-yet-reverential interpretation, while newcomers will feel welcome. • Retellings brim with humor and emotion."Mostly Chiron saw in the child, and the young man he became, boundless courage, athleticism, intelligence, and ambition. He saw too lots of words beginning with 'self,' which gave him pause. Self-belief, self-possession, self-righteousness, self-confidence, self-love. Perhaps these characteristics are as necessary to a hero as courage."In Heroes, Fry draws out the humor and pathos in both tender love affairs and heroic battles, and reveals each myth's relevance for our own time. • A collector's edition filled with classical art inspired by the myths and a luxe, foil-stamped jacket• Perfect gift for mythology and history buffs, lovers of ancient Greece, art aficionados, and devoted fans of Stephen Fry• Add it to the shelf with books like Circe by Madeline Miller, Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman, and Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton
This #1 New York Times bestseller is a "bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story" that brilliantly reimagines the life of Circe, formidable sorceress of The Odyssey (Alexandra Alter, TheNew York Times).In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child -- not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power -- the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and page-turning suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world.#1 New York Times Bestseller -- named one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, the Washington Post, People, Time, Amazon, Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Newsweek, the A.V. Club, Christian Science Monitor, Refinery 29, Buzzfeed, Paste, Audible, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Thrillist, NYPL, Self, Real Simple, Goodreads, Boston Globe, Electric Literature, BookPage, the Guardian, Book Riot, Seattle Times, and Business Insider.
A mesmerizing debut novel for fans of Madeline Miller'sCirce. Ariadne, Princess of Crete, grows up greeting the dawn from her beautiful dancing floor and listening to her nursemaid's stories of gods and heroes. But beneath her golden palace echo the ever-present hoofbeats of her brother, the Minotaur, a monster who demands blood sacrifice. When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives to vanquish the beast, Ariadne sees in his green eyes not a threat but an escape. Defying the gods, betraying her family and country, and risking everything for love, Ariadne helps Theseus kill the Minotaur. But will Ariadne's decision ensure her happy ending? And what of Phaedra, the beloved younger sister she leaves behind? Hypnotic, propulsive, and utterly transporting, Jennifer Saint'sAriadne forges a new epic, one that puts the forgotten women of Greek mythology back at the heart of the story, as they strive for a better world.
A spellbinding reimagining of the story of Elektra, one of Greek mythology’s most infamous heroines, from Jennifer Saint, the author of the beloved international bestseller, Ariadne.\\nThree women, tangled in an ancient curse.\\nWhen Clytemnestra marries Agamemnon, she ignores the insidious whispers about his family line, the House of Atreus. But when, on the eve of the Trojan War, Agamemnon betrays Clytemnestra in the most unimaginable way, she must confront the curse that has long ravaged their family.\\nIn Troy, Princess Cassandra has the gift of prophecy, but carries a curse of her own: no one will ever believe what she sees. When she is shown what will happen to her beloved city when Agamemnon and his army arrives, she is powerless to stop the tragedy from unfolding.\\nElektra, Clytemnestra and Agamemnon’s youngest daughter, wants only for her beloved father to return home from war. But can she escape her family’s bloody history, or is her destiny bound by violence, too?
Longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023\n"Haynes is master of her trade . . . She succeeds in breathing warm life into some of our oldest stories.”—Telegraph (UK)\nThe national bestselling author of A Thousand Ships and Pandora's Jar returns with a fresh and stunningly perceptive take on the story of Medusa, the original monstered woman.\nThey will fear you and flee you and call you a monster.\nThe only mortal in a family of gods, Medusa is the youngest of the Gorgon sisters. Unlike her siblings, Medusa grows older, experiences change, feels weakness. Her mortal lifespan gives her an urgency that her family will never know.\nWhen the sea god Poseidon assaults Medusa in Athene’s temple, the goddess is enraged. Furious by the violation of her sacred space, Athene takes revenge—on the young woman. Punished for Poseidon’s actions, Medusa is forever transformed. Writhing snakes replace her hair and her gaze will turn any living creature to stone. Cursed with the power to destroy all she loves with one look, Medusa condemns herself to a life of solitude.\nUntil Perseus embarks upon a fateful quest to fetch the head of a Gorgon . . .\nIn Stone Blind, classicist and comedian Natalie Haynes turns our understanding of this legendary myth on its head, bringing empathy and nuance to one of the earliest stories in which a woman—injured by a powerful man—is blamed, punished, and monstered for the assault. Delving into the origins of this mythic tale, Haynes revitalizes and reconstructs Medusa’s story with her passion and fierce wit, offering a timely retelling of this classic myth that speaks to us today.
Book 1 of the Peloponnese series \nAmazon bestseller in Greek Travel categories and Essays and Travelogues.\nAfter an Arctic winter, a British recession, and a downturn in the newspaper industry, two journalists and their dog embark on an adventure in the wild and beautiful southern Peloponnese. A perfect plan, except for one thing - Greece is deep in economic crisis. And if fiscal failure can't overturn the couple's escapade in rural Greece, perhaps macabre local customs, a scorpion invasion, zero dog-tolerance, and eccentric expats will. \nThis is a humorous and insightful journey through one of the last unspoilt regions of Greece. It is full of encounters with warm-hearted Greeks who show that this troubled country still has heroes, if not euros. In a hillside village in the Mani, the locals share their lives, their laughter and their stories and help chart the couple's own passage back to happiness. \nReviews\n"An honest view of 'away-from-it-all' Greece today, as seen through the refreshingly unblinkered eyes of a very gifted author. An engaging, humour-spiced book that entertains and informs. Highly recommended." Peter Kerr, bestselling author of Snowball Oranges. \n"Honestly, you won't be able to put this book down." Maria Karamitsos, The Greek Star newspaper, Chicago. \n"Marjory tells a good story with a journalist's eye for mood and detail... With luck she will write a second volume as entertaining, good-hearted and moving as this." Alex Martin, Anglo-Hellenic Review, London. \n"A book to relax into, a wonderful record of Greece's uniqueness, written with wonderment, admiration and wit, all in equal measure." Anne Zouroudi, award-winning author of the Greek Detective series of novels. \n"Marjory McGinn's laconic wit and delightful style brings the herb infused landscape of the Mani to life with a joyous ease." Harry Bucknall, author of Like a Tramp, Like a Pilgrim. \n"The best book of its kind I've ever read. It has it all: humour, interesting facts and a good measure of sentiment... Marjory is a truly talented author." Effrosyni Moschoudi, author of Amazon bestseller, The Necklace of the Goddess Athena.
The New York Times bestselling memoir of pilgrimage and self-discovery by Sue Monk Kidd, the author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Book of Longings, and her daughter, Ann Kidd Taylor Sue Monk Kidd has touched the hearts of millions of readers with her beloved novels and acclaimed nonfiction. Now, in this wise and engrossing dual memoir, she and her daughter, Ann, chronicle their travels together through Greece and France at a time when each was on a quest to redefine herself and rediscover each other. As Sue struggles to enlarge a vision of swarming bees into a novel, and Ann ponders the classic question of what to do with her life, this modern-day Demeter and Persephone explore an array of inspiring figures and sacred sites. They also give voice to that most protean of human connections: the bond of mothers and daughters.An absorbing book about spiritual growth and finding one's destiny, Traveling with Pomegranates is both a revealing self-portrait by a beloved author and her daughter, and a momentous story that will resonate with women everywhere.
The multi-million bestselling novel about a young girl's journey towards healing and the transforming power of love, from the award-winning author of The Invention of Wings and The Book of LongingsSet in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted Black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina—a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of Black beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.
A New York Times Notable Book of 2018 "Wilson’s language is fresh, unpretentious and lean…It is rare to find a translation that is at once so effortlessly easy to read and so rigorously considered." ―Madeline Miller, author of Circe\nComposed at the rosy-fingered dawn of world literature almost three millennia ago, The Odyssey is a poem about violence and the aftermath of war; about wealth, poverty and power; about marriage and family; about travelers, hospitality, and the yearning for home.\nThis fresh, authoritative translation captures the beauty of this ancient poem as well as the drama of its narrative. Its characters are unforgettable, none more so than the “complicated” hero himself, a man of many disguises, many tricks, and many moods, who emerges in this version as a more fully rounded human being than ever before.\nWritten in iambic pentameter verse and a vivid, contemporary idiom, Emily Wilson’s Odyssey sings with a voice that echoes Homer’s music; matching the number of lines in the Greek original, the poem sails along at Homer’s swift, smooth pace.\nA fascinating, informative introduction explores the Bronze Age milieu that produced the epic, the poem’s major themes, the controversies about its origins, and the unparalleled scope of its impact and influence. Maps drawn especially for this volume, a pronunciation glossary, and extensive notes and summaries of each book make this is an Odyssey that will be treasured by a new generation of readers. 3 maps
The heroic Greek dramas that have moved theatergoers and readers since the fifth century B.C.Towering over the rest of Greek tragedy, the three plays that tell the story of the fated Theban royal family—Antigone, Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus—are among the most enduring and timeless dramas ever written. Robert Fagles's authoritative and acclaimed translation conveys all of Sophocles's lucidity and power: the cut and thrust of his dialogue, his ironic edge, the surge and majesty of his choruses and, above all, the agonies and triumphs of his characters. This Penguin Classics edition features an introduction and notes by the renowned classicist Bernard Knox.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.