Work in progress:
Here are some suggestions for books and travel guides if you would like to read up on Greece, the Islands of the Greek Dodecanese, and the region’s archaeology. The books are in no particular recommended order, and are not required reading!
THE GREEK DODECANESE GENERAL
The Blue Guide Rhodes and the Dodecanese Robin Barber (1997). Barber is the most informative and complete guide to the archaeology, history and culture of the Dodecanese, but this book can be a little difficult to find now. Nigel McGilchrist is writing a new version for Blue Guide, which should be published in Spring 2009.
The Greek Islands: A Guide to the Byzantine and Medieval Buildings and their Art Paul Hetherington (2001). Slightly dry, but wonderfully informative. It includes every island we will be visiting on this tour.
ANCIENT GREECE/HISTORY GENERAL
Greek History Robin Osborne (2004). The best short introduction to the history of Ancient Greece.
A Concise History of Byzantium 285-1461 Warren Treadgold (2000). An accessible and concise introduction to the Byzantine Empire.
A Concise History of Greece Richard Clogg 2002. Informative, humorous and succinct overview of modern Greek history.
Travellers’ Greece: Memories of an Enchanted Land John Tomkinson (2002) 2nd edition. A selection of excerpts from early western travellers’ accounts of mainland Greece and the Greek islands.
Twice a Stranger: the Mass Expulsions that Forged Modern Greece and Turkey Bruce Clark (2006). The most rigorous account of the harrowing events that created modern Greece and Turkey.
Blue Guide Greece: the Mainland Sherry Marker & James Pettifer (2006). Does not include the Greek islands, but has an excellent introduction to Greece, its culture, history and architecture (although not quite as good as that written in earlier editions of this series, by Robin Barber).
Greek Architecture Arnold Lawrence (1996) fifth edition. A great introduction.
The Orthodox Church Timothy Ware (Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia) 1993. This book is the best single volume introduction to the Orthodox church, written by one of its foremost theologians.
GREECE & DODECANESE GUIDEBOOKS
The Rough Guide to the Dodecanese and East Aegean Islands Marc Dubin (2005)
The Rough Guide to Greece Lance Chilton et al (2008)
Greece: Lonely Planet Paul Hellander et al (2008)
Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Travel Guide: Greek Islands Marc Dubin (2007)
ATHENS
Athens, Attica and the Megarid: An Archaeological Guide Hans Rupprecht Goette (2001). Dry and dauntingly heavy, but packed with up-to-date information on every archaeological site great and small within this limited area of mainland Greece. Simply brilliant.
Blue Guide Athens Robin Barber (2002). Barber knows Athens back-to-front, and has a wonderful writing style and dry sense of humour. An excellent small book for carrying around the streets
Peripatoi: Athens Walks David Rupp (2005). A very well-chosen series of walks through the heart of the modern city, packed with information on all things ancient through modern. An excellent choice if you prefer to organise your own walks, rather than join an organised walking tour.
GREEK LITERATURE
The quantity and quality of literature concerning Greece and its peoples grows by the day. In addition to the traditional greats, such as Nikos Kazantzakis (the author of “Zorba the Greek” amongst much else) and Constantine Cavafy (the celebrated poet who was born in Alexandria to Greek parents) there are the first hand accounts of travels, adventures and observations by e.g. Lawrence Durrell (his Reflections on a Marine Venus in particular) and Patrick Leigh Fermor (often described as the greatest travel writer of the 20th century), the historical novels set mainly in the Ancient or Byzantine worlds by e.g. Mary Renault and Gillian Bradshaw, and the gritty stories of life in modern Athens by e.g. Panos Karnezis. In short, there is something Greek-flavoured for every set of tastebuds.
Reflections on a Marine Venus Lawrence Durrell
Roumeli: Travels in Northern Greece Patrick Leigh Fermor
Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese Patrick Leigh Fermor
A Place of Healing for the Soul: Patmos Peter France
The Summer of my Greek Taverna Tom Stone
Zorba the Greek Nikos Kazantzakis
The Praise Singer Mary Renault
The Collected Poems of C.P.Cavafy: A New Translation Constantine Cavafy
The Son’s Bride Gillian Bradshaw
The Maze Panos Karnezis
