Under the Ligurian Sun or in the Wine Dark Sea
March 15, 2010 10:38 AM Subscribe
What books to read before trips to Italy (Cinque Terre) and Greek Isles? Seeking travel literature, history, fiction, poetry and food--not travel guides.
I like going into trips with a pile of books by people who love the region I'm about to explore and have expressed that by writing a fun or fascinating book. I'd prefer books focusing on the region we're going to, but if it's broader or nearby, bring it on.
For the Greece trip: our itinerary will not be set for a few months, so harder to narrow the region. We will likely start in Mykonos (Kos and Santorini are possibilities).
Travel literature a la Frances Mayes and Peter Mayle is a guilty pleasure of mine, but well-loved history, culture, and fiction would be great. Already thinking about Sailing the Wine Dark Sea, Dinner with Persephone, and picking up my Herodotus again. Having a harder time with Liguria, though I know I'd like to read a bit about Mazzini and Garibaldi.
I like going into trips with a pile of books by people who love the region I'm about to explore and have expressed that by writing a fun or fascinating book. I'd prefer books focusing on the region we're going to, but if it's broader or nearby, bring it on.
For the Greece trip: our itinerary will not be set for a few months, so harder to narrow the region. We will likely start in Mykonos (Kos and Santorini are possibilities).
Travel literature a la Frances Mayes and Peter Mayle is a guilty pleasure of mine, but well-loved history, culture, and fiction would be great. Already thinking about Sailing the Wine Dark Sea, Dinner with Persephone, and picking up my Herodotus again. Having a harder time with Liguria, though I know I'd like to read a bit about Mazzini and Garibaldi.
Italy: Anything by Frances Mayes, especially Under the Tuscan Sun; Eat, Pray, Love (1/3 of it) if that's your thing; and The Monster of Florence if you like being creeped out on your trips. Dante comes to mind, though of course that doesn't take place in Italy.
As for Greece, I love Fugitive Pieces.
posted by questionsandanchors at 10:59 AM on March 15, 2010
As for Greece, I love Fugitive Pieces.
posted by questionsandanchors at 10:59 AM on March 15, 2010
The Magus? Takes place mostly on a greek island, if I remember right... been years since I read it though.
Ditto The Names, by DeLillo...
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 11:05 AM on March 15, 2010
Ditto The Names, by DeLillo...
posted by Pickman's Next Top Model at 11:05 AM on March 15, 2010
The Italians by Luigi Barzini
Captain Michalis (Freedom and Death) by Nikos Kazantzakis if you're going to Crete.
posted by hydrophonic at 11:12 AM on March 15, 2010
Captain Michalis (Freedom and Death) by Nikos Kazantzakis if you're going to Crete.
posted by hydrophonic at 11:12 AM on March 15, 2010
Eugenio Montale, who won the nobel in 1975, was ligurian and used to spend his holidays in Monterosso (they have a Parco Letterario on his honor there). His volume "cuttlefish bones" mixes WWI memories with these childhood holidays.
My Family and Other animals is also a fun read.
posted by lucia__is__dada at 12:03 PM on March 15, 2010
My Family and Other animals is also a fun read.
posted by lucia__is__dada at 12:03 PM on March 15, 2010
Check out Patrick Leigh Fermor on Greece, esp Mani and Roumeli.
Liguria is tough. IF you care for poetry, you might try Montale.
For evocative points further south, try Norman Douglas. Old Calabria is a standard and not to be missed. Alone and Together (two separate titles) also good.
posted by IndigoJones at 12:20 PM on March 15, 2010
Liguria is tough. IF you care for poetry, you might try Montale.
For evocative points further south, try Norman Douglas. Old Calabria is a standard and not to be missed. Alone and Together (two separate titles) also good.
posted by IndigoJones at 12:20 PM on March 15, 2010
How about Mary Renault's retelling of the Theseus myth - The King must Die and The Bull from the Sea. Light enough for holiday reading but REALLY well written, shows what it would have been like while the patriachal "sky god" religion was moving in and taking over from the older mother goddess cults.
posted by runincircles at 12:26 PM on March 15, 2010
posted by runincircles at 12:26 PM on March 15, 2010
I knew there was something for you - check out Extra Virgin: A Young Woman Discovers the Italian Riviera, Where Every Month Is Enchanted by Annie Hawes. TYpical of the genre, but it is Liguria.
Also fun though again, not Liguria, is Lving in a Foreign Language - again, same genre, but funnier than most. Video here
posted by IndigoJones at 12:37 PM on March 15, 2010
Also fun though again, not Liguria, is Lving in a Foreign Language - again, same genre, but funnier than most. Video here
posted by IndigoJones at 12:37 PM on March 15, 2010
For Liguria I'd suggest Difficult Loves by Italo Calvino. It is a collection of wonderful short stories about the Italian Riveria, WWII, and post-war life in Italy.
posted by jenne at 1:30 PM on March 15, 2010
posted by jenne at 1:30 PM on March 15, 2010
Seconding Patrick Leigh Fermor. Cannot recommend him highly enough.
posted by chinston at 1:39 PM on March 15, 2010
posted by chinston at 1:39 PM on March 15, 2010
For Greece, I second "My Family and Other Animals", plus you should browse other writing by either of the Durrells (Lawrence or Gerald) for further writing about Greece. The Durrells were a British family who moved to Corfu.
Also, Corfu, by Robert Dessaix.
posted by AnnaRat at 3:13 PM on March 15, 2010
Also, Corfu, by Robert Dessaix.
posted by AnnaRat at 3:13 PM on March 15, 2010
For Greece, I really liked the memoir The Priest Fainted, by Catherine Davidson. It has *gorgeous* writing and a great spanakopita (mmm) recipe.
Also by an author named Davidson, One Mykonos is a fantastic blend of history and travel memoir. The author is one of the foremost British classicists (author of the well-received Courtesans and Fishcakes: The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens), remarkably erudite and a great writer. (NB the book has strong gay content.)
posted by lysimache at 4:38 PM on March 15, 2010
Also by an author named Davidson, One Mykonos is a fantastic blend of history and travel memoir. The author is one of the foremost British classicists (author of the well-received Courtesans and Fishcakes: The Consuming Passions of Classical Athens), remarkably erudite and a great writer. (NB the book has strong gay content.)
posted by lysimache at 4:38 PM on March 15, 2010
This is not a book, but when I briefly visited Cinque Terre last summer I found myself pondering this article. It's about a travel writer who lifted another Italian village out of obscurity, and the conflicting emotions the townspeople felt toward him. Similarly, I would imagine that Rick Steves' ORIGINAL writing about Cinque Terre would be quite eye-opening, as compared to what you'll find.
posted by acidic at 12:49 AM on March 16, 2010
posted by acidic at 12:49 AM on March 16, 2010
Based on your username and profile you may have already read some of them, but what about the Greek classics? Homer, Aeschylus, Euripedes or some philisophy from Plato?
Plato's "Symposium" is a quick read, very accessible and explores the nature of love, one of my favourites.
Most of all, enjoy your trip! I've had the pleasure of being to both Cinque Terre and the Greek islands and it was incredible. If you're looking for a great place to stay in Santorini, check out Anny Studios in Perissa Beach.
posted by Anizev at 10:09 AM on March 16, 2010
Plato's "Symposium" is a quick read, very accessible and explores the nature of love, one of my favourites.
Most of all, enjoy your trip! I've had the pleasure of being to both Cinque Terre and the Greek islands and it was incredible. If you're looking for a great place to stay in Santorini, check out Anny Studios in Perissa Beach.
posted by Anizev at 10:09 AM on March 16, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by philip-random at 10:43 AM on March 15, 2010