Book Description
Eyewitness Travel Guides are the original illustrated travel guidebooks-and they're still the best. Since 1993, the Eyewitness brand has established itself as one of the industry leaders, with sales of more than 6.5 million copies in the U.S. alone. Featuring more than 70 worldwide destinations, new titles are being added to the best-selling Eyewitness Travel Guides series each year. In 2003, to mark the 10th anniversary of the publication of Eyewitness Travel Guides, DK is re-launching the entire series, fully updated, and with a brand-new look.
Customer Reviews:
The Greek Islands.......2007-09-27
As with most DK publications this book provides excellent information and fantastic illustrations and maps.
Beautiful but limited.......2007-09-26
The book is absolutely beautiful, but its content for many islands is woefully brief. Since it leaves out the mainland, I would have hoped for more space on the Saronic Islands, for example. Thank heavens they included a brief section on Athens, since everyone has to pass through there sooner or later. But there is almost nothing on the rest of mainland Greece, which is another book. I wish the publisher would put them into one volume. Apparently this is the long awaited new edition.
Excellent maps.......2007-08-08
I thought this book was very helpful for travel in Greece. It has so many colorful pages and it really highlights important information for each island. I especially found some of the maps for historic sites helpful. Overall this book is a great resource and very user friendly. However, I would supplement it with a book that has a little more historical background and written words.
DK Eyewitness Travel Guides Top My List.......2007-04-04
I like their layout: just enough background information, great pictures, maps, and dissected drawings of major buildings. Their Traveller's Needs and Survival Guide handle the basics. Everytime we plan a vacation it begins with a DK Eyewitness Travel Guide purchase.
Greek Island reviewed.......2006-11-10
The historical portion of the book is the same as the Greece Book which is Athens oriented. It is useful and gives a good background -- also brings into the picture the mythological setting of many of the ruins one would see in your travels. Although we only visited three (3) of the islands, the descriptions of what to see and do there was accurate and adequate.
Book Description
Whether it's the hedonistic nightlife of Mykonos and Ios, the dramatic caldera of Santorini or cricket in Corfu, there is an island for every style and season. With world-class beaches, a tradition of warm hospitality, great food and a fascinating history, the lure of Greece's stunning archipelagos has never been stronger. Take the guesswork out of finding your perfect island paradise with this best-selling guide.
EXPLORE - detailed descriptions of more than 70 Greek islands
ISLAND HOP - inspirational itineraries and comprehensive transport information
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES - diving, windsurfing, walking and cycling uncovered
OVER 100 MAPS - so you can go further afield
IN-DEPTH LANGUAGE SECTION - go on, have fun talking to the locals
Customer Reviews:
Dissapoint for this book.......2007-05-23
I read the recommendation from Amazon, who recommend reader to buy "Lonely planet island" and "Lonely Planet Greece" together.
However, I found the book of " Greece" is enough!! Because you can find enough information of islands in the book of "Greece", you needn't to buy the book of "Greek Island" again! I am not happy for the recommendation from Amazon, which is difficult for me to trust it again!
Excellent guide to the Greek islands!.......2005-09-03
Like its companion book (Lonely Planet Greece), this is an excellent guide (but just to the islands)! It is concise, reads very easily, and gives good common-sense recommendations on what to see and where to stay. It is as up-to-date as you can reasonably expect with changing prices and euro/dollar fluctuations. A very, very practical guide from the budget tourist to middle class. Excellent pictures, very good maps, a fine job! It reminds me, in a way, of the Michelin guides to Europe. Having said that, Lonely Planet Greece gives you basically the same information on the islands, plus mainland Greece, for just a few dollars more. So unless you are flying into Athens and going only to the islands, you are probably better off with the parent book.
Reviewed by David Lundberg, author of Olympic Wandering: Time Travel Through Greece
Disappointing for a Lonely Planet book!.......2005-07-19
I own a LOT of Lonely Planet travel guides and have always been happy with the insider information they provide. This book, however, is lacking in MANY ways. First of all, there are hardly any photos. Secondly, it seems like the same island description has been pasted onto each island. It goes something like this, " This is one of the most beautiful islands....". Lastly, it falls way short in hotel listing. In Mykonos, for example, the book only list 3 hotels in budget, 3 in medium price range, and 3 deluxe hotels. You've got to be kidding! All that's listed as far as excursions in Mykonos is the number of a travel agent and a gay cruise. Sorry,..not interested...in either!! I want descriptions and suggestions. Did Lonely Planet really ever visit all of these islands? VERY disappointing!
Use Let's Go Greece.......2005-06-17
I used this book for Crete and Santorini and it just didn't get the job done. Fortunately, I had Let's Go Greece 2005 with me as well. It had much more accurate and useful information, at least for the the two aformentioned islands.
LP Greek Islands is useful for keeping your Athens cafe table from wobbling, though. So, it has that going for it.
Useful book but not great.......2005-02-15
I really felt like this book should get just three stars, but compared to most other travel guides about the Greek Islands it is definitely one of the best ones. However, I was disappointed that it lacks the kind of detail and good street maps that many other Lonely Planet guides offer. There must be something about the Lonely Planet guides for Greece because the one for Crete is really substandard. And since this book contains the same kind of information about Crete but in a condensed format, it means you really get short-changed on that island. Like I said, this is definitely one of the better guides about the Greek Islands, but I have to say I think the Eyewitness Travel Guide for the Greek Islands edges it out slightly. I should point out that I do not typically use travel books to find hotels and restaurants because those subjects always leave out tons of other options and are often outdated. I find the web more useful instead. This book does include a lot of that information, which I essentially ignored. If you like that kind of information in a book then you might prefer this one over the Eyewitness Travel Guide.
Book Description
Experience a place the way the locals do. Enjoy the best it has to offer. Frommer's. The best trips start here.
- Advice on choosing the best islands for your needs.
- Outspoken opinions on what's worth your time and what's not.
- Exact prices, so you can plan the perfect trip whatever your budget.
- Off-the-beaten-path experiences and undiscovered gems, plus new takes on top attractions.
Find great deals and book your trip at Frommers.com
Download Description
You'll never fall into the tourist traps when you travel with Frommer's. It's like having a friend show you around, taking you to the places locals like best. Our expert authors have already gone everywhere you might go- they've done the legwork for you, and they're not afraid to tell it like it is, saving you time and money. No other series offers candid reviews of so many hotels and restaurants in all price ranges. This guide is specifically geared to travelers who want to go to Greece for beaches, beautiful weather, and island-hopping. Its centerpiece is a feature no other guide offers: a full chapter on cruises, written by one of the cruise industry's leading specialists and featuring candid reviews of each line and tips on how to get the best deals. We'll start you off with a quick overview of Athens, your gateway, before setting off to explore the most beautiful and appealing of Greece's many islands. If you're exploring on your own, you'll rely on us for dozens of detailed island and town maps, complete details on ferries and flights, and a wealth of information on accommodations, sightseeing, dining, and nightlife. This is the only guide you need to discover the best of the legendary Greek Isles!
Customer Reviews:
Frommer's has done it again!.......2007-09-15
Frommer's Greek Islands is just what I was looking for! The section I found most helpful was the appendix in the back of the book that gives info on Greece in depth which briefly lists the Gods & Goddesses, language, useful words & phrases, as well as some menu terms. Even though the book is very light weight I plan on cutting out that section out of the book and keeping it in my pocket for shore excursions on the Islands. I have used Frommer's books in the past with the most recent being Rome. I live in New York and keep a copy of Frommer's New York for foreign travelers who visit me and want to head out on their own. I also found alot of info. in Eyewitness Travel Guides "The Greek Islands" it has glossy color photos, and is a good guide but way too heavy to pack let alone carry on a tour!
Good info but repeats Frommer's Greece.......2007-03-23
I thought this book would give me additional info about the Greek Islands but it only repeated what was in the Frommer's Greece book,with a few extra inconsequential chapters. You really only need one or the other.
An excellent guide to "just" the islands!.......2005-08-13
The principal difference between this book and "Frommer's Greece" is that this one covers the option of selecting a cruise of the islands, and that section is very good. So, if a major concern is choosing a cruise line (or ship) for your Greek vacation, take a look at this guide. Otherwise, "Frommer's Greece" covers all the mainland (and all the islands) for the same price. Frommer's stands out for clear writing, logical indexing, and especially for running the gamut from budget tourism to the more affluent. His starred system with comments for value or attractiveness to family is understandable with good common sense. Studying Frommer's helps me make the decisions I personally want to make. It will save you many times the price of the book and make your stay much more enjoyable.
Reviewed by David Lundberg, author of Olympic Wandering: Time Travel Through Greece
Leaves much to be desired.......2005-02-16
Unfortunately this book lacks much of the detail and thoroughness that some other guides to the Greek Islands offer (such as the Eyewitness travel guide). Although the major islands are covered in some detail, this book almost entirely ignores a lot of other islands, even some that are quite large. This is a real disappointment because the true wonder of the Greek Island experience is that you can travel to all kinds of places, some very small but no less significant. A good travel guide for the Greek Islands therefore needs to include just as much detail about these less-visited islands as it does about the more well-traveled ones. This book also lacks a lot of the photograps that other books include, which I think is important because the Greek Islands are so diverse. It really does help to see pictures of the islands to help you decide which ones to visit. If you're planning a trip to the Greek Islands you can do much better than this book for a travel guide.
Great reference.......2000-05-20
I went traveling in Greece 2 years ago and found other travel books to lack info on the Greek Islands and had to struggle my way through the islands. As I am planning to return this summer, I have found this book to be a good reference to prepare, and one that I will bring with me. When most of us think of Greece, the Greek Isles are the place most of us invision. This book gave me a good reference as to where to go, where to stay and what there was to do. I would reccommend this book to others.
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
Moussaka, grilled fish, and feta salad with olives--that's it for Greek food, right? Wrong, as abundantly proved by Diane Kochilas's masterful The Glorious Foods of Greece. For over 10 years, Kochilas investigated the vast wealth of Greek cooking, traveling to its islands, cities, mountains, and villages and talking to cooks, bakers, fisherman, farmers, and cheese makers. She listened astutely, and the result is not only hundreds of authentic recipes, but a definitive culinary guide.
Following an introduction in which Kochilas details, among other fascinating information, the nature of each region's cuisine (Rooumali and Epirus are shepherds' domains, she writes, "where the reigning food is pita, as in savory pie, hundreds of them...."), she then offers chapter-by-chapter observations with straightforward recipes. These range from mezze (appetizers) and soups to breads, main dishes, sweets, and drinks. From the olive country of Peloponnesus, for example, readers are offered the likes of Roast Leg of Lamb with Wine, Garlic, Allspice, and Cheese. The Italian-influenced Ionian islands provide Chicken Stewed in Fragrant Tomato Sauce with Thick Pasta, among other dishes. Snd from Macedonia and Thrace come such fare as Roasted Potato Salad with Hot Pepper and Mint, and Leek and Yogurt Pie.
Throughout, Kochilas also provides interesting sidebars (The Sardines of Lesvos, for example, profiles this local treasure known for its sweetness), ingredient sketches, and preparation suggestions. A section that explores cooking techniques and a useful source list concludes the book, which is a tribute to a widely undiscovered cuisine and the author's steady yet exuberant powers of investigation. --Arthur Boehm
Book Description
The Glorious Foods of Greece is the magnum opus of Greek cuisine, the first book that takes the reader on a long and fascinating journey beyond the familiar Greece of blue-and-white postcard images and ubiquitous grilled fish and moussaka into the country's many different regions, where local customs and foodways have remaained intact for eons.
The journey is both personal and inviting. Diane Kochilas spent nearly a decade crisscrossing Greece's Pristine mountains, mainland, and islands, visiting cooks, bakers, farmers, shepherds, fishermen, artisan producers of cheeses, charcuterie, olives, olive oil, and more, in order to document the country's formidable culinary traditions. The result is a paean to the hitherto uncharted glories of local Greek cooking and regional lore that takes you from mountain villages to urban tables to seaside tavernas and island gardens.
In beautiful prose and with more than four hundred unusual recipes -- many of them never before recorded -- invites us to a Greece few visitors ever get to see. Along the way she serves up feast after feast of food, history, and culture from a land where the three have been intertwined since time immemorial.
In an informed introduction, she sets the historic framework of the cuisine, so that we clearly see the differences among the earthy mountain cookery, the sparse, ingenious island table, and the sophisticated aromaticcooking traditions of the Greeks in diaspora. In each chapter she takes stock of the local pantry and cooking customs. From the olive-laden Peloponnesos, she brings us such unusual dishes as One-Pot Chicken Simmered with Artichokes and served with Tomato-Egg-Lemon Sauce and Vine Leaves Stuffed with Salt Cod. From the Venetian-influenced Ionian islands, she offers up such delights asPastry-Cloaked Pasta from Corfu filled with cheese and charcuterie and delicious Bread Pudding from Ithaca with zabaglione. Her mainland recipes, as well as those that hail from Greece's impenetrable northwestern mountains, offer an enticing array of dozens of delicious savory pies, unusual greens dishes, and succulent meat preparations such as Lamb with Garlic and Cheese Baked in Paper. In Macedonia she documents the complex, perfumed, urbane cuisine that defines that region. In the Aegean islands, she serves up a wonderful repertory of exotic yet simple foods, reminding us how accessible -- and healthful -- is the Greek fegional table.
The result is a cookbook unlike any other that has ever been written on Greek cuisine, one that brims with the author's love and knowledge of her subject, a tribute to the vibrant, multifaceted continuum of Greek cooking, both highly informed and ever inviting. The Glorious Foods of Greece is an important work, one that contributes generously to the culinary literature and is sure to become the definitive book of Greek cuisine and culture for future generations of food lovers -- Greek and non-Greek alike.
Customer Reviews:
Good Book.......2007-05-13
I liked this book though it is quite heavy for cooking with. It is very informative about the Greek way of doing things
Nice try, but please try again -- with an index.......2006-10-26
Kochilas' "The Glorious Foods of Greece" is the most frustrating cookbook I've ever tried to use. The theme of a regional Greek cookbook is well taken. However, the utterly useless index renders the book little more than a coffee table book - without photos. And it's a shame, as the recipes themselves are quiet good, but trying to find a recipe is virtually impossible. Or, even worse - trying to find a recipe a second time - was it in the Thessaly chapter? No, no - it must have been the Cyclades chapter. No - perhaps, Epirus. The Complete Book of Greek Cooking by St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church is still the gold standard for a useful Greek cookbook filled with wonderful recipes. Except those who simply enjoy reading cookbooks cover to cover, this is not the one.
This is the real thing.......2005-02-20
I am a professional chef of Greek decent and have lived in Greece for more than half of my life. I have traveled throuout the country and have tried several of the dishes that appear in this book but until now was not able to succesfully duplicate them. I was quite excited when I came across this collection and give the author five stars for her tremendous effort of bringing them together unadulterated.
This book is exactly what it claims to be, if not more than it claims to be and most definately deserves a five star rating. As a few other reviewers have mentioned it is not a collection of Americanized versions of Mousaka and Pastitsio, but a comprehensive collection of recipes borrowed from kitchens across the country which may or may not appeal to all palates. Many of these dishes you will not find outside it's reigion of origin let alone at Kostas opa on Main Street USA. It is worth mentioning that the author has traveled accross Greece collecting these recipes, many of which have not been published before. Having said all of this if you are looking for a recipe for Mousaka, run a search on Google and you will get 100s of results but if you wish to experiment and test your pallate try this book. It is truly authentic!
Doesn't stand on its own, but an excellent read nevertheless.......2004-10-19
The down side of this book is that it essentially functions as a follow-on to Kochilas' earlier book, the Food and Wine of Greece. If you want a basic introduction to Greek cuisine, pass this one by -- it will tell you a great deal about Greek cuisine, but the basics are covered better in her earlier book.
Kochilas writes with a more mature and experienced voice than in her first book -- she's been living in Greece for much of the time since the first one was published, so she's had time to develop more experience. Thus, in the writing of this book, she's had a chance to bring out much more of the history of Greece and how its food got to be the way it is. The book is part cookbook, part travelogue, and as long as you already have a more basic book on Greek cuisine it's an excellent read. It's an expensive book, though for the monumental nature of the subject matter that's understandable.
As I said, though, it's incomplete. A lot of the basic things that fans of the Greek-American diner are used to are not here; look to her first book for the basic recipes for moussaka, spanakopitta, and other dishes famous here, because if you look in this one you will find regional varieties that may be quite good but aren't exactly what you're looking for. What you will find is stunning and varied recipes from different areas that are as different in their own ways as the cuisines of Italy or China.
If you keep all of the above in mind, this book is a worthwhile investment in conjunction with its predecessor. Highly recommended, with appropriate caveats.
Major Contribution to Knowledge of World Food. Outstanding.......2004-05-30
Diane Kochilas stands in the first rank of food writers specializing in Mediterranean cuisine, along with Mediterranean generalists Paula Wolfert, Nancy Harmon Jenkins, Claudia Roden, Clifford Wright, and Joyce Goldstein; Spanish specialist Penelope Casas; Italian specialists Marcella Hazan, Giuliano Bugialli, and Lydia Bastianich; and fellow Greek specialist Agliaia Kremezi. This is Ms. Kochilas' third book on Greek food and I apologize to the author if I slight the first two in my praise of this volume, as I have not yet read or reviewed them.
Considering food writing as a whole, not just the Mediterranean, this is easily one of the best essays of a country's cuisine I have seen. The only volume which I have read and reviewed which may be better is Diana Kennedy's `From My Mexican Kitchen', although the two books take a different route to excellence.
The very first impression is the design of the cover, typeface, and book layout that sets the stage for the feeling that this is an important book. It has the kind of restrained design I typically attribute to cookbooks published by Knopf, but which other publishers have done well. The next impression is that Ms. Kochilas has done everything that I missed from Ms. Kremezi's recent book `The Foods of the Greek Islands'. While the latter volume did a good job on recipes, it did not dedicate itself to informing it's readers in a clear, lucid manner on what it was which distinguished the cuisines of the Greek Islands from one another, from the mainland, and from the Mediterranean in general. Ms. Kochilas does this with skill and insight. The first sign of this serious analysis of her subject is the superior map of Greece with the various island groups identified and icons representing major food product sources placed on the map. This is an easy attention to detail. The next aspect is the organization of the book into the various geographic regions. These are The Peloponnesos, The Ionian Islands, Roumeli, Epirus, Thessaly, Macedonia and Thrace, The Islands of the Northeastern Aegean, The Cyclades, The Dodecanese, Crete, and Athens. As Ms. Kremezi mentions in her book but does not detail with any analytical understanding, there are significant differences between, for example, the relatively poor Dodecanese and the agriculturally rich islands of the northeastern Aegean such as Lesbos.
Ms. Kochilas has artfully combined the analytical insight and presentation of Nancy Harmon Jenkins with the deft personal warmth of Paula Wolfert in discussing her sources of specific recipes. The only adverse effect of Ms. Kochilas' approach is that the book may not fit some readers' expectations to find a volume with the approach of Julia Child, which is heavy on culinary wisdom and recipe and light on exposition. Ms. Kochilas addresses this concern when she says that this volume may not cover many of the architypical Greek dishes, as she has already presented them in one of her two earlier volumes. When references to classics such as moussaka are appropriate, she even gives references to her earlier works if you are looking for that recipe. Another compliment to this book is Ms. Kochilas most recent book on Mezes that is lighter on the analytical approach and heavy on great recipes for these tasty bites.
The other side of the coin is that by not spending a lot of space on well-known classics, Ms. Kochilas and her editors have made space for more recipes on pastries and breads, one of my favorite topics. I have made several of the breads in the book and have found them uniformly excellent. One should also not get the impression from my comparison to Julia Child's works that this book is all exposition and no cooking. The opposite is true. The final chapter on the basics of Greek cooking gives great insights into some of the most important skills in the Greek kitchen. In keeping with a concentration on pastry and baking, this section opens with two different recipes for Phyllo. The first is a traditional homemade dough and the second is a recipe for the style of phyllo made in Macedonia. For the purists, there are even variations to the basic recipe given for the Ionian islands, Roumeli, Afrato, and Epirus.
One of the most interesting discoveries in this final chapter is the story of trahana. To my novice eye, it is a pasta with some similarities to couscous and some similarities to gnocchi. Ms. Kochilas greatly expands Paula Wolfert's brief discussions of the subject with several recipes in the geographical chapters to round out her fascinating summary discussion. I am especially grateful for the paragraph on grating tomatoes. Other books on Greek cuisine give brief descriptions, but Ms. Kochilas tells us enough to give us confidence that this improbable technique actually works.
I have only touched the surface of the great richness in this book. I can hope to whet your appetite for more by quoting from the chapter on Crete where the author
`had come to witness this yearly winter ritual (brewing raki, similar to grappa, from the residuals of the local wine grapes) as well as other things in Crete, from the island's mythic, heart-saving diet, exemplar of simplicity and variety, to its seemingly limitless flora - over half the twelve thousand indigenous plants in Europe are found on Minos's island. ... The island is at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and Asia, the real and mythic cradle of the Mediterranean'.
Exciting words for someone who thrilled to tales of Hercules, Theseus, and Achilles as a boy.
Highly recommended addition to any culinary library, especially for those interested in regional cuisines.
Book Description
In a synthesis of historical and literary, archaeological and paleontological detective work, Charles Pellegrino transfixes us with his exploration of the origins of Atlantis.
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
Very important subject, but sketchy writing.......2001-11-16
YES: this book is about the real Atlantis. It really did exist, but not in the literal way that Plato described it, and certainly not in the way that New Age speculation "theorists" want it to.
I really wanted to give this book a perfect five-star rating, as the subject matter is immensely important, and the author's enthusiasm makes this book a truly exciting experience. The long story made short is that "Atlantis" was in reality a small island in the east Mediterranean way back around 1600 BC. Thera was a part of the Minoan Empire, and, being a group of islands between Egypt and Greece, had not only the world's first navy, but aquaducts (long before the famous Roman water systems) and a surprisingly highly-evolved culture. Then one day, the volcano at the center of Thera exploded with as least six times the power of Krakatoa (the 1883 eruption that was heard over 2000 miles away), and within seconds 2/3 of the island was in the stratosphere.
This was all before even the Greeks became the dominant force in the region, and so the sudden disappearance of the Minoans (who dominated trade between Europe and Africa) not surprisingly became various stories passed down through the generations, which is where Plato heard it. Plato's description of an entire continent all the way out in the Atlantic that sunk into the sea turned out to be an embellishment on what was, by then, just a myth. He was essentially trying to make a point about how quickly even the most powerful civilization can crumble, and what he said was passed down through the ages, in one form or another, to us. This is how and why these Art Bell "experts" have hijacked this subject and nailed it onto their "theories" of other subjects that have been blown completely out of proportion, such as the Bermuda Triangle, life on Mars, Bigfoot, etc. Case in point: just because Atlantis was advanced by ancient standards, NO: THEY DID NOT HAVE AIRPLANES OR LASERS. Sorry to burst anyone's bubble, but REAL history isn't "Spear of Destiny" garbage: it's how real people really lived, not whatever garbage you want it to be.
Of course, this book was an emotional one to read: an ancient culture creating such high technology (a millenium ahead of its time), only to be totally annihilated in just seconds. If the downfall of Rome and the unsuing loss of knowledge and the onset of the Dark Ages is considered to be historically tragic, this story is then the most epic catastrophe EVER. The author points out that if they were doing what took another 1000 years for the Romans to figure out (such as running water through pipes), who knows what these people might have managed to do? Maybe we would have been on the moon 2000 years ago. We'll never know.
The downfall of this book that I hinted at earlier is that 90% of everything important is said immediately: none of what I've said here is a "big mystery" that gets unravelled through the course of the book. It's like getting hit from all sides with amazing (and very enthusiastic) information about who the Therans might have been, how the world was at the time, and the excitement that Atlantis did exist after all. As great as all of that is, the book suddenly takes a left turn into endless archaeological stories and theories that simply don't have much of anything to do with the subject. At first, it's the author trying to put Theran history into perspective (he says that people have a hard time comprehending what happened over 2000 years ago, and he's right), but he just starts beating this idea to death. He'll occasionally get back to Thera and the ongoing excavations, and then he'll launch back into a whole list of other things that become more and more distracting. By the last 100 pages of the book, it becomes a chore to get through to the end, in the increasingly dismal hope that he'll say more than just one or two things about Thera itself.
This book isn't written as much badly as just way off target. The author's enthusiasm will make you picture him as a kid playing in a sandbox for the very first time (which is probably how he'd actually describe himself), but unfortunately, he runs out of steam when he runs out of things to really say. On the other hand, this subject is fascinating and important, and I would, of course, still highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to find a huge missing piece of history, or to anyone trying to scrape that layer of filth known as "New Age speculation" off of some really solid history: the real thing is far more interesting than the National Enquirer version.
Simply the Best.......2001-03-26
This is simply the best book I have read about archaeology since Gods, Graves, and Scholars. And it is the first book about the scientists who search for the past (actually written by one of them) that teaches us how to actually think in terms of deep time. Read this book and you will emerge from the "Mediterranean Genesis" chapter never viewing your own town, or anyplace on Earth, quite the same, ever again. The story of Atlantis itself, following the Frost/Marinatos hypothesis about the Minoan catastrophe of 1628 B.C. (a date finally fixed in stone by the Pellegrino synthesis), fitering down through history as the "kernel of truth" behind Plato's cautionary tale, is really the first book ever to approach this unsinkable subject from a purely archaeological and geological perspective, with no particular ax to grind. One learns why not even a small island, much less a continent, could have plunged through the ocean floor without leaving a significant and very easily seen geologic trace. Either Plato's Atlantis was based on an (only marginally) embellished and poorly understood account of history's largest known volcanic explosion (Thera/Santorini), or, according to Pellegrino, Atlantis did not exist at all. And to top all: the whole archaeological adventure is wrapped in some of the most elegant prose I have ever read.
Most informative.......1999-06-26
This book makes me want to catch a plane to Thera and help with the excavation. Lots of history and PLENTY of concrete evidence to turn the hardened cynic into a believer. It's a complete journey through time back to the dinosaurs and more. Like the author stated, the brain is a 3-pound time machine. This book is only 1 pound.
Well researched, masterfully presented and fascinating!.......1999-04-05
I'm a history buff with a better than average knowledge of the Eastern Mediterranean, but I was astounded by Pellegrino's extraordinary ability to integrate and analyze data from seemingly disparate sources and disciplines. His argument for Thera as Atlantis is totally convincing and captivating - you won't want to put it down. He skillfully recreates the advanced civilization that flourished there and truly moves the reader - this book will haunt you long after you finish it. I loaned my copy to a friend who was going there on vacation - all I got back was a postcard of the excavations! If anyone hears of a pending reprint please let me know.
Facinating and convincing!.......1998-12-10
I have always had a general interest in Atlantis and lost civilizations, but I never expected to be so facinated with the topic. Thanks to Pellegrino, I came away with a much richer understanding of historical events in the Mediterranean than I had ever hoped. His theories on Atlantis are totally believable, overlaying some interesting new twists for historians to consider.
Book Description
Now in its 17th edition, this annual favourite is bigger and better than ever. Loved for its distinctive style and honest tell-it-how-it-is commentary; relied on for its comprehensive coverage of all the islands and how best to travel to and between them; and trusted for the accuracy of its material – Greek Island Hopping is the ‘island hopper’s bible’ that readers keep coming back to again and again.
· Covers all the islands as well as Athens and all mainland ports.
· Island Ratings, colour 3D-view sightseeing maps, 100 colour photographs
· Regular online updates available at www.greekislandhopping.com
This is the only guide that describes all known ferries, hydrofoils and tour boats, with over 230 route maps. It shows the location of over 1800 places to stay and provides street maps for most of the smaller islands.
Customer Reviews:
Helping my wedding guests plan their trip to Greece!.......2007-05-19
We are getting married on a Greek island next summer and are helping our wedding guests plan their itineraries. This book is SO helpful because it shows available transporation for EVERY Greek island. This book has been so helpful!!!!
Required for island travel........2007-03-25
Everybody is always asking "is there a ferry to...?" And the answer is usually the same: if you can't stand on the dock itself and inquire, do the next best thing and read this unique, comprehensive book.
The book gives the schedule for every island and for the various mainland locations. You also get an overview of the various route patterns. This is especially valuable given the somewhat random nature of the schedule of Greek ferries. The route patterns and timings are key for planning a general strategy to serious island hopping.
Beyond this basic information, the annual guide offers wonderful gossipy reviews of individual boats, companies, and the changing picture of ferry travel from year to year. There are also little intros to the various islands. These island reviews are notable for detailed maps of the port cities showing where the boats land and the location of selected hotels. Note that: many islands have more than one location for the boats to dock. You could wind up a hundred yards or more away from where you need to be. With this guide you'll not be surprised.
Even ferry schedules published on site in Greece are notoriously "selective" in their accuracy, so how good can this book be? Obviously, I've not checked everything, but for the (very) few journeys I and my friends have taken, it has proved accurate.
So I would absolutely rely on this for planning a trip, but in no way rely on it day to day when I was in Greece. Go to the ferry agents or perhaps to the dock itself. Double check WITH THE SPECIFIC COMPANY YOU ARE USING, because what company A tells you about Company B is next to useless. Bear in mind that schedules do reduce in the off season.
Bottom line: this book is essential. Rough Guides call it "superb, user-friendly."
Book Description
The guide that shows you what other travel books only tell you!
Beyond its mainland, Greece includes more than 2,000 islands, large and small, and DK's Eyewitness Travel Guide; The Greek Islands is the first step to take before visiting these scenic wonders. With more than 750 full-color photographs, this encyclopedic handbook divides these remarkable islands into seven regional chapters, each focusing on the main towns and villages, with 3-D aerial maps directing you to all the main sights. Visit the Palace of St. Michael and St. George, the Old Fortress, and the Paper Money Museum on the island of Corfu in the Ionic Islands. Travel to the Temple of Aphaia on Aigina in the Argo-Saronic Islands and to the Palace of the Grand Masters and the Street of Knights on Rhodes in the Dodecanse chain. From hilly terrain to sun-drenched beaches, from historical significance to classic cuisine, the best of the Greek Islands are encapsulated in this entertaining and educational travel guide.
Customer Reviews:
Great when used in conjunction with another guide.......2001-07-06
I always buy an Eyewitness Travel Guide before I go anywhere and I have found the Greek Islands one to be very helpful - I'm about to use it on my second vacation there. The pictures and descriptions tell you so much more than a traditional guide book and it is a great help if you're trying to figure out where to go and want more than a text description. I get a better sense of the area and the attractions from the visuals in this book. That said, an Eyewitness Guide on its own is not enough - you should also get a "regular" guide book (for me, that's always Lonely Planet) for info on accommodations, dining out and the other practical stuff.
Lot of material, but lacking in detail.......2001-07-04
This book provides a good introduction to Greece and the Greek Islands. It covers lot of topics, from Greek history to common phrases and food, and touches on practically every island in the Greek archipelago, but it covers no topic in sufficient depth. It also has hundreds of beautiful photographs and illustrations. If you are planning a trip to the islands but know nothing about Greece and would like a quick introduction, this book can be useful.
But don't solely rely on this book to plan your trip. The list of hotels in this book is very small. For example, the book gives the names of only 2 hotels in Mykanos, one of the most popular Greek islands. The maps are small and very sketchy. Be prepared to buy a local map as soon as you reach a city. The book gives timings for major attractions, but be prepapred to double check them when you reach the city. For instance, the timings provided for the Athens Acropolis in the book are not up-to-date. Finally, if you are a backpacker and are worried about ounces, remember that this book is heavier than most others.
history is completely distorted.......2000-06-28
If you want a travel book about Greek Islands prefer the Fodor's Exploring of the Greek Islands. In this one, Greek history of the Alexander the Great era is completely distorted. Even though only a few sentences are used to refer to this era, the effort of the author(s) to present Macedonians as not Greeks is really obvious and at least inaccurate, since Macedonians were Greek people too. That's also why it was Greek(Hellenistic) the civilization spread througout Asia and Egypt and not Macedonian. It would be much better if they didn't mention history at all. And to be honest, I am sure that it won't be the only inaccuracy present.
Lots of gloss but not enough info.......2000-06-02
The photos are great, but it did not give me enough detail. I also found the book to be a bit outdated.
So many islands so little time.......1999-12-16
The Eyewitness Guide was an invaluable resource in planning a combined Greek Island cruise and an extended stay on Santorini & Paros in 1999.With so many islands it is impossible to fully cover them all in a guide , let alone visit more than a fraction of them.The main islands of Rhodes,Mykynos,Santorini,Paros,Crete etc are well covered;but even the smallest also get a good mention.Overall well worth having in the backpack and looks great on the coffee-table as a momento.
Book Description
Where is the Ithaca described in such detail in Homer's Odyssey? The mystery has baffled scholars for over two millennia, particularly because Homer's descriptions bear little resemblance to the modern island called Ithaki. This highly illustrated book tells the extraordinary story of the exciting recent discovery of the true location of Homer's Ithaca by following a detective trail of literary, geological and archaeological clues. We can now identify all the places on the island that are mentioned in the epic--even the site of Odysseus' palace itself. The pages of the Odyssey come alive as we follow its events through a landscape that opens up before our eyes via glorious color photographs and 3-D satellite images. Over a century after Schliemann's discovery of Troy, the information in this groundbreaking volume will revolutionize our understanding of Homer's text and of our cultural ancestors in Bronze Age Greece. Robert Bittlestone was educated in classics and science before reading economics at the University of Cambridge. He is the founder of Metapraxis Ltd., a company specializing in the detection of early warnings for multinational companies. Bittlestone is the author of many articles about the importance of visualization and has applied these principles to the enigma described in this book. James Diggle is Professor of Greek and Latin at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Queens' College. John Underhill is Chair of Stratigraphy at the University of Edinburgh and Associate Professor in the Department of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University.
Customer Reviews:
Speculative Archaelogy the right way.......2007-09-01
There are lots of speculative archaelogy/history books out there by authors who are not specialists in the field and many have interesting ideas to share. Sadly, most are flawed in their interpretation of evidence or wander off into the realm of complete speculation. This book is not one of those books.
Bittlestone is not an archaelogist, he's just someone who had an interesting theory that could explain the controvery surrounding attempts to identify Homer's Ithaca (home of hero Odysseus) as an historical location. Most would have just written a book right then full of whatever evidence they could find. Instead Bittlestone went to the experts and got them to review his ideas and then modified them based on what they said. The result is a theory that real professionals will likely pursue further in the future rather than ignoring it as uneducated speculation by an amateur.
Even with that, however, his theory isn't airtight. There was one major issue that he raised that he seemed to gloss over when it came time to prove his point, but that stood out precisely because he didn't do it anywhere else. Perhaps he didn't have time to fully explore this particular issue or maybe he didn't find any evidnence for or against it, but in the end it is a relatively minor issue in his theory.
The book is a little dry in it's writing style but makes up for it with tons of pictures, charts, and diagrams to help you understand the more technical details.
Highly recommended if you are interested in the real world of Homer's stories or if you find speculative archaelogy interesting.
Odysseus Unbound: The Search for Homer's Ithaca.......2007-06-27
I bought this book for my husband and he said it was everything he could have ever hoped it would be. He is so pleased with it and he reads from it or just browses through it just about every single day.
superb production at a great price.......2007-03-10
a very convincing review of the story of the Odyssey in terms of modern geological and other scholarship
Exciting historical detective work.......2007-01-06
Any admirer of Homer's Odysseus will love this work. It is important in reminding us also never to underestimate the work of amateur historians and archeologists. Through convincing geographical example and a thorough knowledge of ancient classics, the author takes us on the investigation to find the home of the ancient Odysseus. The result is a very convincing tale and perhaps the best hope yet that the ingenius warrior's home is real and has been discovered. A wonderful collection of photographs and maps enhance the study. Very well done and very convincing.
Beautiful and Convincing!.......2005-12-23
Who wouldn't be fascinated by the presumption, if nothing else, of the premise: Odysseus' Ithaka found after two and a half millennia! But Bittlestone's book, instead of a grueling epic, is a quiet, beautiful story of information-age discovery. It shows how incredibly far an intelligent amateur can go when backed up by the power of our technology. Bittlestone attacks the mystery with the might of GPS location finding, LandSat photos, internet advice from true experts...and a little true Sherlock Holmesian deduction. (He even quotes from Holmes a few times!) The photos are beautiful, the logic is elegant, the science is very educational, and the conclusion is convincing!
Book Description
The Rough Guide to The Greek Islands is the essential guide to the varied and beautiful archipelagos of the Aegean and Ionian seas. From hiking in the Samarian Gorge and windsurfing off Vassilikà to the Acropolis of Lindos and the view over Firá, the 24-page, full-colour introduction highlights all the ''things-not-to-miss''. In addition, there are two brand-new, 4-page, full-colour inserts: ''Orthodox Festivals'', ''Wild Greek Islands'' and ''Beaches''. The guide includes listings of all the very best hotels and restaurants, plus information on all the top bars, shops and clubs, to suit every budget. There is plenty of practical advice to help you get the most from the many activities available throughout the islands, plus there is comprehensive information on inter-island ferries and maps and plans for every island group.
Customer Reviews:
Very complete, yet concise.......2006-12-27
Before purchasing this book I reviewed a number of books on the Greek Islands at my local library and settled on this Rough Guide version as being the most up to date, the most complete, and the most readable and frank (looked at Insight, Lonely Planet, Fodors (Greece), and others). I am traveling to both Corfu and to Crete this year and feel that the treatment is at the appropriate level for my one week stay on each of those large islands and a one-week sail through the other Ionian islands. I will supplement this with a sailing book/charts on the Ionian Sea and a Michelin Green Guide of Greece which emphasizes the archaeological sites and history. The upside is that with one purchase I now have info on other Greek Islands for future travels in the Sporades, Cyclades, etc. I have successfully and happily used Rough Guides in the past for European regions such as Bretagne.
Book Description
Greece and its many islands are rich with traditional and regional culinary dishes that go far beyond the standard fare of moussaka and spinach pie. To gather these special recipes and the culture that surrounds them, Diane Kochilas spent more than fifteen years living and traveling in Greece. From home cooks and professional chefs she coaxed a wonderful array of authentic recipes to augment her own creations, adapting where necessary to make them accessible to modern cooks with modern ingredients.
This tantalizing collection of recipes covers all aspects of Greek cuisine and pays tribute to the history and tradition behind each dish. Each chapter--from olives and bread to appetizers, stews, savory pies, fish, poultry, meat, eggs, grains, vegetables, and sweets--is filled with detail on the ancient, religious and folkloric origins or various dishes. Basic preparations, such as those for phyllo, avgolemono, and grilling of fish and game, are covered, as are regional variations and local specialties, secrets of village home cookes, and guidelines on how to serve the foods in typical Greek fashion. Also included is a helpful guide on where and how to obtain Greek specialty items by mail.
Customer Reviews:
Great Cookbook.......2006-03-22
I'm Greek and love Greek food of course, but I've lived in the USA most of my life and only get to experience the true Greek dishes when i visit family in Greece. This is a great book of Greek dishes, they are very authentic and i have enjoyed trying something new each week.
LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT........2006-03-08
I have hundreds of cookbooks... I know its sounds nuts. I am a very adventurous cook. I'll try anything... from Indian, to Japanese to Italian to "Good Old American" to Vietnamese and of course Greek (my favorite) and much more in between.
Out of all my cookbooks (including all my Greek cookbooks)this is the one I use most. It is beat up, stained, falling apart and hanging on by a thread. That is how much I use this book.
Excellent Book for Greek Cooking (and drinking).......2002-04-06
I would recommend this book highly. As a Greek American I can vouch for the authenticity of most of the recipies. In some instances the author has to make substitutions (mostly with cheeses) with ingredients that would be difficult to find for the average American.
Her wine selections are helpful and in my experience have paired well with the food.
Her measurements are very accurate. For anyone who has cooked from many Greek cookbooks (in english) you will know that very often measurements are totally off. This is due to the fact for thousands or at least hundreds of years these recipies were verbal and were not written down until relatively recently. I have suffered through many a dish trying to guess what amount is accurate. That has always been my biggest complaint with Greek cookbooks- AND that is not a problem with this one.
Everything I have tried has come out wonderful. I would recommend this as a great book containing all the classics.
Kali Orexi!
Authentic Greek Cooking.......2001-10-18
Having lived in Greece, and having been a professional recipe writer and tester here in the US, I can give this book an enthusiastic thumb's up. In fact, I own the book already and am now getting one for my mother-in-law!
The recipes are simple, deceptively so: you can't bellieve it's going to taste like the real thing, but it will. Greek cooking is truly a cuisine of limited resources and resourceful handling of those resourses, and this book captures it well. The only thing missing is... food photos! But if you know Greek food well, you'll know why: it's uniquely unphotogenic, although the raw ingredients are usually worthy of a shot.
Love that wonderfully scented Greek Lamb.......2001-05-12
We are so blessed here in the Detroit Metro area to have Greek Town with all its outstanding restaurants. You can even get their cookbook which is excellent: Opaa! Greek Cooking Detroit Style.
Kochilas' cookbook is even larger with over 300 recipes plus variations on most dishes, background sketches and wonderful memories of the dishes she's describing.
I am in love with the way Greeks do Lamb Stews--scented with allspice and cinnamon with just right acidic balance of rich tomato sauce. Kochilas' recipe Arni Kapam (Lamb in a Spicy Tomato Sauce) has become a favorite. Surprisingly so, I am a nut for Snails, so her Cochli me Pligoui (Snail and Bulgur Pilaf) is out of this world as well as the Cretan Classic Snail Stew.
Her classic Pastitsio and Mousakka are excellent as well as Chicken-Lemon Soup and syrupy Bakliva desserts.
One fine, well done cookbook.
Books:
- Hereditary Hearing Loss and its Syndromes (Oxford Monographs on Medical Genetics)
- Hiking Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Regional Hiking Series)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
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General
| Greece
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Greece Athens & the Mainland (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Greece, Athens, & the Mainland (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Turkey (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Frommer's Greece (Frommer's Complete)
Top 10 Athens (DK Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guides)
