ann_budci

Hi all -

I'm looking for some suggestions on books that will help me prepare for my June Honeymoon in Santorini and Mykonos. The travel books that I've are of general Greece interest. I don't mind spending $25 on a book, but I want to get more than 4 pages worth of information about where I'm going. I'm also interested in any novels set in Greece that you all could suggest. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Marilyn

Mary Renault has a series of historical novels set in ancient Greece. Maybe not lasting literature for the ages, but very well researched and written.

brotherleelove2004

Lonely Planet publishes great travel guidebooks. I recommend them to you. But don't expect to get more than just a few pages about any particular destination unless it's a big city like Athens, Paris, London, etc.

"The Magus" (John Fowles), "Eleni" (Nicholas Gage), "Zorba the Greek" (Nikos Kazantzakis)

milley_5

hi ann

Two books I read and enjoyed before my first visit to Greece (and Mykonos) were:-

Mykonos, A Sybaritic Adventure by Terry Niver

and

Dinner with Persephone:Travels in Greece by Patricia Storace

Just done a quick search on Amazon and find they are both available.

milley

AP6380

Independent Travellers Greek Island Hopping 2003: The Budget Travel Guide
Thomas Cook Publishing

There is very detailed info in these books.

Hania

I think Lonely Planet and Rough Guide are the best.
Novels....some of the best I have left in hotel rooms in Greece rather than carry them for weeks and can't remember the names. I wish I had wrote them down. Others:
Dancing Girl by Thordis Simonsen (about the women of the Peloponnese)
Travlerers Tales Greece
The Summer of my Greek Taverna by Tom Stone
Crete on the Half Shell by Byron Ayanoglu (currently reading, published 2003 in Canada)
Windswept and Island of the Winds by Athena G. Dallas-Damis

china_cat

I think, no matter where in Greece you go, you can benefit by reading some mythology beforehand. Getting a handle on some of the more famous stories, you will often come across one of the supposed ancient settings. I like Edith Hamilton's "Mythology", myself, but there are lots out there.

grandmere

Henry Miller's Colossus of Maroussi.

Watch the video, Shirley Valentine.

sheila

A bit dated now, but An Affiar of the Heart, by Dyliss POwell sets a fantastice benchmark for modern Greece. I also have The Olive Grove (Travels in Greece) by Katherine Kizilos, and I second the vote for Dinner with Persephone. Anything by Katzanzakos, A house in Corfu by Emma Tennnant. , and if you can manage the stretch, the Durrell, Bitter Lemons of Cyprus and Thubron, Journey through Cyprus and Leigh Fermor a Traveller's Tree.

To be Cretan, The Cretan Runner is unbelievable.

I suggest you look at this web site, but have your fiance cut up your credit card first:-http://www.hellenicbookservice.com/

Thanks to those who have recommended books I haven't heard of before.

carolyn

Some older novels include <i>Decision at Delphi</i> by Helen MacInnes, <i>My Brother Michael</i> (also Delphi) and <i>The Moonspinners</i> (Crete) by Mary Stewart, and <i>Seven Tears for Apollo</i> (Rhodes) by Phyllis Whitney. They are easy reading and set a nice stage for a trip to Greece.

artlover

Yes, Henry Miller, and also Lawrence Durell--I believe part of the Alexanderia (sp?) Quartet is set there and maybe some of his other books. Plus, they're both great writers.

Marilyn

artlover, I LOVE the Alexandria Quartet! But only a little bit takes place in Greece.

alice13

Robert Graves &quot;The Greek Myths&quot;. And though it's set in Cephallonia in a completely different island group from Mykonos - Louis de Bernieres &quot;Captain Corelli's Mandolin&quot;. This is a good read and you also get to learn a bit about what happened in Greece immediately post WWII. There's a movie too but Nicholas Cage such an appalling piece of casting I couldn't bring myself to go and see it!

adeewebstr

A vote for &quot;My Family and Other Animals&quot; by Gerald Durrell, Lawrence's naturalist brother. They (mother, brothers, and sister)lived on Corfu for a while - don't know how long - and this is about their life there