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The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home: Another gorgeously uplifting novel from the author of the bestselling THE SINGLE LADIES OF JACARANDA RETIREMENT VILLAGE
by Joanna NellAt nearly ninety, retired nature writer Hattie Bloom prefers the company of birds to people, but when a fall lands her in a nursing home she struggles to cope with the loss of independence and privacy. From the confines of her 'room with a view' - of the car park! - she dreams of escape.Fellow 'inmate', the gregarious, would-be comedian Walter Clements also plans on returning home as soon as he is fit and able to take charge of his mobility scooter.When Hattie and Walter officially meet at The Night Owls, a clandestine club run by Sister Bronwyn and her dog, Queenie, they seem at odds. But when Sister Bronwyn is dismissed over her unconventional approach to aged care, they must join forces - and very slowly, an unlikely, unexpected friendship begins to grow.Full of wisdom and warmth, The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home is a gorgeously poignant, hilarious story showing that it is never too late to laugh - or to love. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman's THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB!Praise for Joanna Nell:'Hugely entertaining . . . funny and heart-warming' Woman & Home'A gentle, warm-hearted book that had me rooting for all the characters and laughing out loud at points' LIBBY PAGE, author of The Lido'A warm and touching story with a cast of characters who became my friends' - Katie Marsh, author of THE REST OF ME'The perfect blend of funny and moving' - Natasha Lester, author of THE PARIS SEAMSTRESS'A funny and poignant exploration of growing old disgracefully and enjoying your twilight years.' - Culturefly
Great Expectations: Imagination and Anticipation in Tourism (New Directions in Anthropology #34)
by Jonathan Skinner Dimitrios TheodossopoulosThe negotiation of expectations in tourism is a complex and dynamic process – one that is central to the imagination of cultural difference. Expectations not only affect the lives and experiences of tourists, but also their hosts, and play an important part in the success or failure of the overall tourism experience. It is for this reason, the authors argue, that special attention should be given to how expectations constitute and sustain tourism. The case studies presented here explore what fuels the desires to visit particular places, to what degree expectations inform the experience of the place, and the frequent disjunctions between tourist expectations and experiences. Careful attention is paid to how the imagination of the visitor inspires the imagination of the host, and vice-versa; how tourists and host communities actively imagine, re-imagine, and shape each other’s lives. This realization, has profound consequences, not solely for academic analysis, but for all those who participate in and work within the tourism industry.
Great Expeditions: 50 Journeys That Changed Our World
by Mark StewardForeword by Levison Wood, bestselling author of Walking the NileA comprehensive, fascinating and inspiring gallery of the great adventures that changed our world.
The Great Flood: Travels Through a Sodden Landscape
by Edward PlattFlooding has always threatened the rainy, wind-swept islands of the United Kingdom, but it is becoming more frequent and more severe. During the course of two years, which coincided with the record-breaking floods of the winter of 2013–14, Edward Platt travelled around the country, visiting places that had flooded and meeting the people affected. He visited flooded villages and towns and expanses of marsh and Fen threatened by the winter storms, and travelled along the edge of the drowned plain that used to connect Britain to continental Europe. He met people struggling to stop their houses falling into the sea and others whose homes had been engulfed. He investigated disasters natural and man-made, and heard about the conflicting attitudes towards those charged with preventing them. Combining travel writing and reportage with readings of history, literature and myth, Platt explores the way floods have shaped the physical landscape of Britain and left their mark on its inhabitants. The Great Flood dramatizes the experience of being flooded and considers what will happen as the planet warms and the waters rise, illuminating the reality behind the statistics and headlines that we all too often ignore.
Great Glasgow Stories
by John BurrowesFew cities in the world abound with so many extraordinary stories as Glasgow. The city has been the silent witness to some of the most significant events of the past century, from major triumphs to cataclysmic calamities, and the best of these anecdotes are compiled here to form this unique collection.Amongst the notable events revisited are the launching of the Queen Mary, which captivated the city's inhabitants in 1934, the victorious 16-month work-in campaign by the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders in the early 1970s, the Ibrox disaster of 1971 and the plague that gripped the Gorbals in 1900.Some of Glasgow's most successful people are also covered, including Clydeside revolutionary John Maclean, founder of the Barras Maggie McIver and the inimitable Billy Connolly, whose humour and colourful personality are synonymous with the city.From the Battle of George Square to the bravery of the Glasgow people during the Blitz, Great Glasgow Stories provides an all-encompassing view of the city throughout the eras.
Great Himalaya Trail: 1,700 Kilometres Across the Roof of the World
by Gerda PaulerThe Great Himalaya Trail is one of the longest and highest trails in the world. It is a trail that winds for 1,700 kilometres through Nepal — across the 'roof of the world', over ice-covered passes, crossing high-mountain deserts and through some of the most remote areas on earth. This path is perhaps the ultimate walk. In 2012, Himalaya veteran Gerda Pauler set out to walk the length of the trail to raise awareness of autism in Nepal. Travelling across the country with open eyes and ears, ascending high passes, visiting isolated villages and drinking tea with the locals allowed her to see and hear things many of us might never hear, never experience — and never know. Beautifully written like many great travel books and with a foreword by Sir Chris Bonington, this is so much more than a travel diary — it is a collection of stories from the very heart of Nepal and its people. From Tibetan tea and local beer to corrupt politicians and child marriage; cold nights and monsoon rain to incredible views and searing heat; and from angry yaks and giant spiders to Mr Bean and Jack Nicholson… 'Her book is not about her, but about this trip, across the roof of the world, done both for her own pleasure and for those who suffer from autism.' Sir Chris Bonington
Great Journeys: Set Six (Trailblazers Ser.)
by David OrmeGreat Journeys looks at some of the greatest journeys ever made - starting with human beings' first great journey 150,000 years ago: leaving Africa. Find out who first discovered America, who reached the South Pole first (and who came second!). Then find out about the great journey to reach the Moon. The fiction story 'The Big Sleep' tells of a man who spends a hundred years asleep in space, on the greatest journey ever.
The Great North Road: London to Edinburgh – 11 Days, 2 Wheels and 1 Ancient Highway
by Steve SilkTravelling by bike at a stately 14 mph, Steve Silk heads north, searching out milestones and memories, coaching inns and coffee shops. The Great North Road is a journey as satisfying for the armchair traveller as the long-distance cyclist. Enriched with history, humour and insight, it’s a tribute to Britain and the endless appeal of the open road.
The Great Offshore Grounds: A Novel
by Vanessa Veselka'IT BLEW ME AWAY' Emma Donoghue, author of Room'LARGE IN SCOPE AND HEART' Patrick deWitt, author of The Sisters Brothers'UNFORGETTABLE' Nathan Hill, author of The Nix'A BLAST' Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia! On the day of their estranged father's wedding, half-sisters Cheyenne and Livy set off to claim their inheritance. It's been years since the two have seen each other - Cheyenne is newly back in Seattle after a failed marriage, Livy works refinishing boats - but the promise of a shot at financial security brings the two together to claim what's theirs.Except: instead of money, their father gives them information - a name - that reveals a stunning family secret. In the face of their new reality, the sisters each set out on journeys that will test their faith in each other, as well as their definitions of freedom.Moving from Seattle's underground to the docks of the Far North, from the hideaways of the southern swamps to the storied reaches of the Great Offshore Grounds, this is an epic tale told with boundless verve, linguistic vitality and undeniable tenderness - a book that fearlessly reimagines what the 'great American novel' can do.
The Great Psychedelic Armadillo Picnic: A Walk in Austin
by Kinky FriedmanKinky Friedman, the original Texas Jewboy, takes us on a rollicking, rock-and-rolling tour of his favourite city: Austin.Maybe you want to know where to find President Bush's favourite Austin burger joint. Or maybe you want a glimpse of Willie Nelson's home. Or maybe you're itching to learn the history of a city that birthed Janis Joplin, Stevie Ray Vaughan and countless other music legends. It's all here in The Great Psychedelic Armadillo Picnic, the slightly insane, amazingly practical, and totally kick-ass guide to the coolest city in Texas by none other than Kinky Friedman.This ain't no ordinary travel guide, neither. As might be expected from this politically incorrect country-singer-turned-bestselling-mystery-author, the Kinkster's tour includes a bunch of stuff you won't find in any other guide, from descriptions of Austin's notable trees and directions to skinny-dipping sites to lists of haunted places and quizzes and puzzles. So put on your cowboy hat and your brontosaurus-foreskin boots and head down south with the only book you need to get to the big heart of this great city.
The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia (Textplus Ser.)
by Paul Theroux Theroux PaulThe Great Railway Bazaar is Paul Theroux's classic and much-loved homage to train travel. The Orient Express; The Khyber Pass Local; the Delhi Mail from Jaipur; the Golden Arrow of Kuala; the Trans-Siberian Express; these are just some of the trains steaming through Paul Theroux's epic rail journey from London across Europe through India and Asia. This was a trip of discovery made in the mid-seventies, a time before the West had embraced the places, peoples, food, faiths and cultures of the East. For us now, as much as for Theroux then, to visit the lands of The Great Railway Bazaar is an encounter with all that is truly foreign and exotic - and with what we have since lost.Praise for Paul Theroux:'Theroux's work remains the standard by which other travel writing must be judged' Observer'One needs energy to keep up with the extraordinary, productive restlessness of Paul Theroux ... [He is] the most gifted, most prodigal writer of his generation'Jonathan Raban'Always a terrific teller of tales and conjurer of exotic locales, he writes lean prose that lopes along at a compelling pace'Sunday TimesPaul Theroux's books include Dark Star Safari, Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, Riding the Iron Rooster, The Great Railway Bazaar, The Elephanta Suite, A Dead Hand, The Tao of Travel and The Lower River. The Mosquito Coast and Dr Slaughter have both been made into successful films. Paul Theroux divides his time between Cape Cod and the Hawaiian islands.
Great-Uncle Harry: A Tale of War and Empire
by Michael Palin'An important historical record and a well-paced story in its own right, Great-Uncle Harry is also much more than that: a tremendous act of love.' Guardian___________________________________From the time, many years ago, when Michael Palin first heard that his grandfather had a brother, Harry, he was determined to find out more about him.The quest that followed involved hundreds of hours of painstaking detective work. Michael dug out every bit of family gossip and correspondence he could. He studied every relevant official document. He tracked down what remained of his great-uncle Harry's diaries and letters, and pored over photographs of First World War battle scenes to see whether Harry appeared in any of them. He walked the route Harry took on that fatal, final day of his life amid the mud of northern France. And as he did so, a life that had previously existed in the shadows was revealed to him.Great-Uncle Harry is an utterly compelling account of an ordinary man who led an extraordinary life. A blend of biography, history, travelogue and personal memoir this is Michael Palin at his very finest.___________________________________________PRAISE FOR EREBUS:'Beyond terrific. I didn't want it to end.' BILL BRYSON'Magisterial . . . Palin brings energy, wit and humanity to a story that has never ceased to tantalise people.' THE TIMES'Everybody's talking about it . . . A brilliant book.' CHRIS EVANS'I absolutely loved it: I had to read it at one sitting.' LORRAINE KELLY
Great Victorian Railway Journeys: How Modern Britain Was Built By Victorian Steam Power
by Karen FarringtonThe perfect companion to Bradshaw’s guide book. Showcasing in colour all that is great about Bradshaw’s guide.
Great Waterways Journeys: 20 Glorious Routes Circling England, by Canal and River
by Derek PrattThis is a guide to circling England using its inland waterways, by boat or on foot. Along the way we learn about our industrial heritage, how cities grew and thrived, as well as passing through spectacular landscapes and idyllic countryside. Beginning in leafy Surrey and ending at Bristol Docks via north Yorkshire, this 780-mile journey passes through the industrial landscape of the West Midlands and the stunning Pennine hills, as well as famous cities such as Oxford and Bath, taking you via the first canal in Britain, Hampton Court Palace, Cadbury World, idyllic Shropshire villages and iconic pieces of Victorian engineering.The route is split up into different sections, so readers can either take on the whole circumnavigation or one part of it. Celebrating the restoration of the canals that make this journey possible, the book features (and uses, if you're travelling by boat) iconic pieces of waterways history such as the Anderton Lift, the Barton Swing Aqueduct, and the 29 locks at Devizes. Each section of the route is illustrated by a map, and features practical information on locks, tunnels and aqueducts, nearby places of interest, good pubs, useful transport links etc. Giving readers a unique way to discover the beauty and variety of England's waterways, and laying down a new challenge to inland waterways enthusiasts, this is a practical and fascinating guide.
Great Waterways Journeys: 20 Glorious Routes Circling England, by Canal and River
by Derek PrattThis is a guide to circling England using its inland waterways, by boat or on foot. Along the way we learn about our industrial heritage, how cities grew and thrived, as well as passing through spectacular landscapes and idyllic countryside. Beginning in leafy Surrey and ending at Bristol Docks via north Yorkshire, this 780-mile journey passes through the industrial landscape of the West Midlands and the stunning Pennine hills, as well as famous cities such as Oxford and Bath, taking you via the first canal in Britain, Hampton Court Palace, Cadbury World, idyllic Shropshire villages and iconic pieces of Victorian engineering.The route is split up into different sections, so readers can either take on the whole circumnavigation or one part of it. Celebrating the restoration of the canals that make this journey possible, the book features (and uses, if you're travelling by boat) iconic pieces of waterways history such as the Anderton Lift, the Barton Swing Aqueduct, and the 29 locks at Devizes. Each section of the route is illustrated by a map, and features practical information on locks, tunnels and aqueducts, nearby places of interest, good pubs, useful transport links etc. Giving readers a unique way to discover the beauty and variety of England's waterways, and laying down a new challenge to inland waterways enthusiasts, this is a practical and fascinating guide.
Greater Kenyir Landscapes: Social Development and Environmental Sustainability: From Ridge to Reef
by Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah Aqilah Mohammad Mohamed Nor Zalipah Muhamad Safiih LolaThis book contains research findings from three major study areas, natural sciences, social sciences, and public policy and management. The focus area extends over geographical zones ranging from mountainous area of Mount Gagau in the Taman Negara National Park, down to the coastal islands of Bidong, Redang and Perhentian on the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Chapters on natural sciences examine the physicochemical characteristics of water, physiological and ecological constraints to geological and climatological aspects. The social science and management chapters observe the rich ethno-heritage of local communities and how they interact and develop as a culture, and public policy for sustainable management. Viewpoints from political science, history, sociology, economics, anthropology and management science are also taken into account. This book is intended for researchers and graduate students to create an understanding of the rich heritage, while policy makers plan for future generations. Readers will benefit from this book by studying the gaps in the current knowledge and move to develop further research to understand the unexplored forest canopies and the dynamics of the changing Greater Kenyir landscapes.
The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A Crazy Adventure in a Crazy War *NOW A MAJOR MOVIE*
by J. T. Molloy John 'Chick' Donohue***NOW A MAJOR MOVIE STARRING ZAC EFRON, RUSSELL CROWE AND BILL MURRAY THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'An extraordinary story.' - Daily Mail'An unforgettable, wild ride from start to finish.' - John Bruning'The astounding true story - from the streets of Manhattan to the jungles of Vietnam.' - Thomas KellyIT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME.As a result of a rowdy night in his local New York bar, ex-Marine and merchant seaman "Chick" Donohue volunteers for a legendary mission. He will sneak into Vietnam to track down his buddies in combat to bring them a cold beer and supportive messages from home. It'll be the greatest beer run ever!Now, decades on from 1968, this is the remarkable true story of how he actually did it.Armed with Irish luck and a backpack full of alcohol, Chick works his passage to Vietnam, lands in Qui Nhon and begins to carry out his quest, tracking down the disbelieving soldiers one by one.But things quickly go awry, and as he talks his way through checkpoints and unwittingly into dangerous situations, Chick sees a lot more of the war than he ever planned - spending a terrifying time in the Demilitarized Zone, and getting caught up in Saigon during the Tet Offensive.With indomitable spirit, Chick survives on his wits, but what he finds in Vietnam comes as a shock. By the end of his epic adventure, battered and exhausted, Chick finds himself questioning why his friends were ever led into the war in the first place.
Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation
by Roderick BeatonWe know ancient Greece, the civilization that shares the same name and gave us much that defines Western culture today. Yet, as financial crises have convulsed Greece repeatedly since 2010, worldwide coverage has revealed just how poorly we grasp the modern nation. This book sets out to understand the modern Greeks on their own terms. How did Greece come to be so powerfully attached to the legacy of the ancients in the first place and then define an identity for itself that is at once Greek and modern? This book reveals the remarkable achievement, during the last three hundred years, of building a modern nation on the ruins of a vanished civilization—sometimes literally so. This is the story of the Greek nation-state but also, and more fundamentally, of the collective identity that goes with it. It is not only a history of events and high politics; it is also a history of culture, of the arts, of people, and of ideas. Opening with the birth of the Greek nation-state, which emerged from encounters between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire, Roderick Beaton carries his story into the present moment and Greece’s contentious post-recession relationship with the rest of the European Union. Through close examination of how Greeks have understood their shared identity, Beaton reveals a centuries-old tension over the Greek sense of self. How does Greece illuminate the difference between a geographically bounded state and the shared history and culture that make up a nation? A magisterial look at the development of a national identity through history, Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation is singular in its approach. By treating modern Greece as a biographical subject, a living entity in its own right, Beaton encourages us to take a fresh look at a people and culture long celebrated for their past, even as they strive to build a future as part of the modern West.
Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation
by Roderick BeatonWe know ancient Greece, the civilization that shares the same name and gave us much that defines Western culture today. Yet, as financial crises have convulsed Greece repeatedly since 2010, worldwide coverage has revealed just how poorly we grasp the modern nation. This book sets out to understand the modern Greeks on their own terms. How did Greece come to be so powerfully attached to the legacy of the ancients in the first place and then define an identity for itself that is at once Greek and modern? This book reveals the remarkable achievement, during the last three hundred years, of building a modern nation on the ruins of a vanished civilization—sometimes literally so. This is the story of the Greek nation-state but also, and more fundamentally, of the collective identity that goes with it. It is not only a history of events and high politics; it is also a history of culture, of the arts, of people, and of ideas. Opening with the birth of the Greek nation-state, which emerged from encounters between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire, Roderick Beaton carries his story into the present moment and Greece’s contentious post-recession relationship with the rest of the European Union. Through close examination of how Greeks have understood their shared identity, Beaton reveals a centuries-old tension over the Greek sense of self. How does Greece illuminate the difference between a geographically bounded state and the shared history and culture that make up a nation? A magisterial look at the development of a national identity through history, Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation is singular in its approach. By treating modern Greece as a biographical subject, a living entity in its own right, Beaton encourages us to take a fresh look at a people and culture long celebrated for their past, even as they strive to build a future as part of the modern West.
Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation
by Roderick BeatonWe know ancient Greece, the civilization that shares the same name and gave us much that defines Western culture today. Yet, as financial crises have convulsed Greece repeatedly since 2010, worldwide coverage has revealed just how poorly we grasp the modern nation. This book sets out to understand the modern Greeks on their own terms. How did Greece come to be so powerfully attached to the legacy of the ancients in the first place and then define an identity for itself that is at once Greek and modern? This book reveals the remarkable achievement, during the last three hundred years, of building a modern nation on the ruins of a vanished civilization—sometimes literally so. This is the story of the Greek nation-state but also, and more fundamentally, of the collective identity that goes with it. It is not only a history of events and high politics; it is also a history of culture, of the arts, of people, and of ideas. Opening with the birth of the Greek nation-state, which emerged from encounters between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire, Roderick Beaton carries his story into the present moment and Greece’s contentious post-recession relationship with the rest of the European Union. Through close examination of how Greeks have understood their shared identity, Beaton reveals a centuries-old tension over the Greek sense of self. How does Greece illuminate the difference between a geographically bounded state and the shared history and culture that make up a nation? A magisterial look at the development of a national identity through history, Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation is singular in its approach. By treating modern Greece as a biographical subject, a living entity in its own right, Beaton encourages us to take a fresh look at a people and culture long celebrated for their past, even as they strive to build a future as part of the modern West.
Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation
by Roderick BeatonFor many, “Greece” is synonymous with “ancient Greece,” the civilization that gave us much that defines Western culture today. But, how did Greece come to be so powerfully attached to the legacy of the ancients in the first place and then define an identity for itself that is at once Greek and modern? This book reveals the remarkable achievement, during the last three hundred years, of building a modern nation on the ruins of a vanished civilization—sometimes literally so. This is the story of the Greek nation-state but also, and more fundamentally, of the collective identity that goes with it. It is not only a history of events and high politics; it is also a history of culture, of the arts, of people, and of ideas. Opening with the birth of the Greek nation-state, which emerged from encounters between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire, Roderick Beaton carries his story into the present moment and Greece’s contentious post-recession relationship with the rest of the European Union. Through close examination of how Greeks have understood their shared identity, Beaton reveals a centuries-old tension over the Greek sense of self. How does Greece illuminate the difference between a geographically bounded state and the shared history and culture that make up a nation? A magisterial look at the development of a national identity through history, Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation is singular in its approach. By treating modern Greece as a biographical subject, a living entity in its own right, Beaton encourages us to take a fresh look at a people and culture long celebrated for their past, even as they strive to build a future as part of the modern West.
Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation
by Roderick BeatonFor many, “Greece” is synonymous with “ancient Greece,” the civilization that gave us much that defines Western culture today. But, how did Greece come to be so powerfully attached to the legacy of the ancients in the first place and then define an identity for itself that is at once Greek and modern? This book reveals the remarkable achievement, during the last three hundred years, of building a modern nation on the ruins of a vanished civilization—sometimes literally so. This is the story of the Greek nation-state but also, and more fundamentally, of the collective identity that goes with it. It is not only a history of events and high politics; it is also a history of culture, of the arts, of people, and of ideas. Opening with the birth of the Greek nation-state, which emerged from encounters between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire, Roderick Beaton carries his story into the present moment and Greece’s contentious post-recession relationship with the rest of the European Union. Through close examination of how Greeks have understood their shared identity, Beaton reveals a centuries-old tension over the Greek sense of self. How does Greece illuminate the difference between a geographically bounded state and the shared history and culture that make up a nation? A magisterial look at the development of a national identity through history, Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation is singular in its approach. By treating modern Greece as a biographical subject, a living entity in its own right, Beaton encourages us to take a fresh look at a people and culture long celebrated for their past, even as they strive to build a future as part of the modern West.
Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation
by Roderick BeatonFor many, “Greece” is synonymous with “ancient Greece,” the civilization that gave us much that defines Western culture today. But, how did Greece come to be so powerfully attached to the legacy of the ancients in the first place and then define an identity for itself that is at once Greek and modern? This book reveals the remarkable achievement, during the last three hundred years, of building a modern nation on the ruins of a vanished civilization—sometimes literally so. This is the story of the Greek nation-state but also, and more fundamentally, of the collective identity that goes with it. It is not only a history of events and high politics; it is also a history of culture, of the arts, of people, and of ideas. Opening with the birth of the Greek nation-state, which emerged from encounters between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire, Roderick Beaton carries his story into the present moment and Greece’s contentious post-recession relationship with the rest of the European Union. Through close examination of how Greeks have understood their shared identity, Beaton reveals a centuries-old tension over the Greek sense of self. How does Greece illuminate the difference between a geographically bounded state and the shared history and culture that make up a nation? A magisterial look at the development of a national identity through history, Greece: Biography of a Modern Nation is singular in its approach. By treating modern Greece as a biographical subject, a living entity in its own right, Beaton encourages us to take a fresh look at a people and culture long celebrated for their past, even as they strive to build a future as part of the modern West.
Greece: A Literary Guide for Travellers (Literary Guides for Travellers #8)
by Michael Carroll"If in the library of your house you do not? have the works of the ancient Greek writers then you have a house with no light" George Bernard ShawThere is so much in the modern world which has its origins in Greece, most notably language and literature. As Shelley once said, “We are all Greeks”. This small, rugged, sea-girt country has the longest written history in Europe. Her myths and legends, so deeply embedded in Western consciousness, and her sublime landscapes, so infused with history, have been muse for writers, artists and travellers for millennia. Travelling from Athens to the scattered islands of the Ionian and Aegean seas, the words of literary titans in the West echo through the centuries: from Homer and Plato to Byron, Flaubert and Twain; Henry Miller to John Fowles; the Durrells to Patrick Leigh Fermor and Cavafy, Kazantzakis and Seferis. Their luminous portraits of Greece – poignant, provocative, always entertaining - enrich our own experiences of the country and shed light on a dramatic and often tragic past.
Greece: The Passenger (The Passenger)
by Various“On the Greek island of Ikaria, life is sweet . . . and very, very long. What is the locals’ secret?”from “The island of Long Life” by Andrew AnthonyFew countries have received more media attention in recent years and even fewer have been represented in such vastly divergent ways. There’s a downside to all this attention: everyone seems to have something final to say about Greece. News replaces people’s actual stories, impressions substitute facts, characters take the place of people. In this volume of The Passenger, we chose to set those opinions aside in order to give to the stories, facts, and people of Greece the dignity and centrality they deserve.