Can anyone recommend a good fiction book that takes place in Greece? I am looking for something to read on my flight to Athens. Thanks to all!

Zorba the Greek for joie de vivre; The Odyssey for setting.

Corelli's Mandolin. BEAUTIFUL. you won't want it to end...

If it's still in print, this is the book that made me want my first trip to Europe to be Greece (and it was): <BR>"The Moonspinners" by Mary Stewart, a romantic mystery that takes place on Crete, lots of local color. The book seems a little dated and tame now (actually, it was not new even when I first read it), but it is an entertaining light read. <BR>I also loved The Magus by John Fowles, much more literary than the above. Good film too, but the book was much more complex.

If you read one book on Greece (or in your lifetime) it has to be Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

Hi Elaine! <BR> <BR>I looked it up on amazon. <BR> <BR>There was a 1964 movie starring Hayley Mills, based on this book! (Disney did it). I'll have to rent it. When I was a pre- teen and teenager I always used to hear I looked a lot like Miss Hayley as a teenager herself... (a little Beth trivia there). <BR> <BR>The book is only used now - out of print. <BR> <BR>Sounds good though. <BR> <BR>Beth

Mikki! You beat me to it! I was going to post the very same question. I have already got Correlli's Mandolin and (sp?) and the Magnus, and of course Zorba but I just found a series of books by an Author Mary Renault (kind of romantic historical fiction) who's books I enjoy all set in Greece. Do a search on Amazon.com for Mary Renault I am going to order them as soon as I get done with the others. I hope your post gets a lot of responses!

the question was so good that I wanted to post my own about Paris. Have fun on your trip!!!!

Hi. Lucky you to be headed to Greece! <BR>In addition to the other good suggestions, I recommend "Eleni" by Nicholas Gage (Gatzoyiannis). Ok,it's not fiction, but it is very engrossing and moving; it's the story of his mother in wartime Greece. (Yes, they made a movie of it, I didn't see it.) <BR>Also, I think it's always fun to read some Greek myths, i.e. Edith Hamilton, especially if you are headed to any archeological sites! <BR>Enjoy! <BR>

I second Eleni, i read it a few months ago and still think about it every once in awhile. I cried at the end, not only because i didn't want it to end but the tragedy this family went through.

I am so surprised at all of the responses! Thank you. If anyone has any other fiction books in Greece, let me know, I'll need a book for the way home also.

Friends of mine just got back from Greece last week and said they kept running into filming of the movie version of Correlli's Mandolin, with Nicholas Cage.

Beth <BR>I had seen the Hayley Mills "Moonspinners" movie, the plot had very little to do with the book's. The movie is sweet, but the book is better, both in plot and for the details about Crete. <BR>thanks for mentioning amazon, tho; although I already own the book, I went there just to read the reviews, and several other people mentioned loving that book as well, which pleases me. <BR> <BR>I must be one of 3 people in the universe who didn't care for Corelli's Mandolin.

Ok, so now I'm really intrigued. Can someone tell me what "Mandolin" is about?

Mikki <BR> <BR>The following aren't so much fiction but more about life in modern Greece. Both well worth ther read. <BR> <BR>Dinner with Persephone by Patricia Storace <BR> <BR>The Olive Grove:Travels in Greece by <BR>Katherine Kizilos <BR> <BR>Bill <BR>

Corelli's Mandolin is set on the Island of Cephalonia during WWII, as the island is occupied by the Axis, fred, etc., and focusses on the lives of various people in a village. It is history/love story/political tale, etc. all rolled into one, and is beautifully, lyrically written with great humor. It's one of those books that stays with you after you're done nd which you'll be recommending to everyone (though the first couple of chapters are a bit of a slog; perserver, and you'll be so glad you did). It's being made into a movie, as well.

Oops! That should read "freed," not "fred"!

Mikki beat me to it - Mary Renault's books are very good, with the added bonus if you like one, there are several others after it! I believe a particularly good one was "The Bull from the Sea".

If you enjoy Mary Stewart, you might like Seven Tears for Apollo by Phyllis Whitney; and Decision at Delphi by Helen McInnis is good.

The other Mary Stewart one which precedes "The Bull from the Sea" is "The King must Die". <BR> <BR>I also read (non-fiction, I'm afraid) The Cretan Runner, last year when I was there; and I could not recommend it highly enough.