A Greek Folk Journey

Greece is famous for its glorious history, archaeological wealth, democracy and contribution to sciences, but it is also a land of rich folk heritage. A Greek Folk Journey acquaints you with this folk heritage by providing an insight into the abundance of customs, festivals and events to be found in all corners of the country, presented by the month. Ancient and more recent traditions live on in many of Greece's cities, towns or the smallest of villages, thanks to the dedication of local communities, cultural associations and local authorities. Many of the events have historic or religious backgrounds, others are contests or sporting competitions, including world-famous marathons, sailing regattas and chess tournaments. Interesting seasonal produce festivals also feature, such as cherry, watermelon, fig, mushroom, olive and wine festivals. Commercial and agricultural fairs, which have a local flavour and where entertainment and delicacies are offered to visitors, are described to entice you. And if that is not enough, A Greek Folk Journey serves up regional dishes, helping you to savour the flavours of glorious Greece.

This is the poignant story of the author's move from New York to Lia--the remote Greek village where her grandmother was murdered, and which her father Nicholas Gage, made famous 20 years ago with his international bestseller "Eleni."

Discover the Timeless Magic of Greek Mythology! Folk Tales from Greece: Ancient Myths and Timeless Legends from Greek Mythology invites readers on an unforgettable journey through the heart of ancient Greece. This captivating collection brings to life the epic adventures, divine encounters, and profound wisdom of legendary heroes and gods. Within these pages, you will find: The awe-inspiring tale of King Midas, whose wish for gold brings unforeseen consequences. The epic voyage of Odysseus, navigating treacherous seas and mythical lands in his quest for home. The heartbreaking love story of Orpheus and Eurydice, a testament to the power of love and loss. The seasonal dance of Persephone and Demeter, explaining the natural cycles of life and renewal. The daring escape of Icarus and Daedalus, and the peril of hubris. The miraculous birth of Athena, born fully armed from Zeus's head. The terrifying power of Medusa, whose gaze turns men to stone. The enchanting romance of Eros and Psyche, overcoming trials to find eternal love. The cautionary tale of Pandora’s Box, releasing woes upon the world but also hope. The fateful Judgment of Paris, sparking the legendary Trojan War. A pleasure to read, filled with profound timeless knowledge and teachings, this collection is suited for all ages. Folk tales are the foundation of human storytelling—understanding a culture is best done through the stories they tell. We see folk tales as distilled teachings of human culture—their value is unfathomable. It’s our inheritance, and we should understand and love it. Beyond the joy of storytelling, both for tellers and listeners, our mission is to help preserve this valuable cultural heritage. We envision this collection as a treasure that any library or bookshelf can hold and pass on to future generations, inspiring and educating them with the wisdom of our ancestors. Perfect for lovers of mythology, literature, and timeless stories, this book is an essential addition to any collection. Immerse yourself in the legendary tales that have shaped cultures and captivated imaginations for millennia. Embrace the magic of Greek mythology—own a piece of this invaluable cultural inheritance today!

This book was first published in 2004. Plato, Aristophanes and the creators of the 'Orphic' gold tablets employ the traditional tale of a journey to the realm of the dead to redefine, within the mythic narrative, the boundaries of their societies. Rather than being the relics of a faded ritual tradition or the products of Orphic influence, these myths can only reveal their meanings through a close analysis of the specific ways in which each author makes use of the tradition. For these authors, myth is an agonistic discourse, neither a kind of sacred dogma nor a mere literary diversion, but rather a flexible tool that serves the wide variety of uses to which it is put. The traditional tale of the journey to the Underworld in Greek mythology is neither simple nor single, but each telling reveals a perspective on the cosmos, a reflection of the order of this world through the image of the other.

A Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2018 In the tradition of Patrick Leigh Fermor and Geoff Dyer, a Grammy-winning producer discovers a powerful and ancient folk music tradition. In a gramophone shop in Istanbul, renowned record collector Christopher C. King uncovered some of the strangest—and most hypnotic—sounds he had ever heard. The 78s were immensely moving, seeming to tap into a primal well of emotion inaccessible through contemporary music. The songs, King learned, were from Epirus, an area straddling southern Albania and northwestern Greece and boasting a folk tradition extending back to the pre-Homeric era. To hear this music is to hear the past. Lament from Epirus is an unforgettable journey into a musical obsession, which traces a unique genre back to the roots of song itself. As King hunts for two long-lost virtuosos—one of whom may have committed a murder—he also tells the story of the Roma people who pioneered Epirotic folk music and their descendants who continue the tradition today. King discovers clues to his most profound questions about the function of music in the history of humanity: What is the relationship between music and language? Why do we organize sound as music? Is music superfluous, a mere form of entertainment, or could it be a tool for survival? King’s journey becomes an investigation into song and dance’s role as a means of spiritual healing—and what that may reveal about music’s evolutionary origins.

Your in-depth guide to the very best of Greece, Athens, and the Mainland. Make the most of your trip to this beautiful region with our DK Eyewitness Travel Guide. Packed with insider tips to make your trip a success, you'll find a guide to Greece's stunning historic architecture and its scenic drives that let you experience the best hotels, bars, and shops that the city and coast have to offer. Try local delicacies at fantastic restaurants, bars, and clubs, and enjoy the great views in spots that will take your breath away. We have the best hotels for every budget, plus fun activities for the solitary traveler or for families and children visiting Greece. Discover DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Greece, Athens & the Mainland: + Detailed itineraries and "don't-miss" destination highlights at a glance. + Illustrated cutaway 3-D drawings of important sights. + Floor plans and guided visitor information for major museums. +Guided walking tours, local drink and dining specialties to try, things to do, and places to eat, drink, and shop by area. + Area maps marked with sights. + Detailed city maps include street finder indexes for easy navigation. + Insights into history and culture to help you understand the stories behind the sights. + Hotel and restaurant listings highlight DK Choice special recommendations. With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that illuminate every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Greece, Athens & the Mainland truly shows you this destination as no one else can.

A wide-ranging anthology of responses evoked through the ages by the history and beauty of Greece.

Travel, Tourism and Identity addresses the psychological and social adjustments that occur when people make contact with others outside their social, cultural, or linguistic groups. Whether such contact is the result of tourism, seeking exile, or relocating abroad, the volume's contributors demonstrate how one's identity, cultural assumptions, and worldview can be brought into question. In some cases, the traveller finds that bridging the social and cultural gap between himself and the new society is fairly easy. In other cases, the traveller discovers that reorienting himself requires absorbing a new cultural history and traditions. The contributors argue that making these adjustments will surely enhance the traveller's or tourist's experience; otherwise the traveller or tourist will be at risk of becoming a marginalized figure, one disconnected from the society that surrounds him. This latest volume in the Culture & Civilization series features a collection of essays on travel and tourism. The essays cover a range of topics from historical travels to modern social identities. They discuss ancient travels, contemporary travels in Europe, Africa and sustainable eco-tourism, and the politics of tourism. Essays also address experiences of Grenada's "Spice Island" identity, and the effects of globalization and migrations on personal identity.

This remarkable and daringly original book proposes a new way of thinking about the Greeks and their myths in the age of the great Homeric hymns. It combines a lifetime's familiarity with Greek literature and history with the latest archeological discoveries and the author's own journeys to the main sites in the story to describe how particular Greeks of the eighth century BC travelled east and west around the Mediterranean, and how their extraordinary journeys shaped their ideas of their gods and heroes. It gathers together stories and echoes from many different ancient cultures, not just the Greek - Assyria, Egypt, the Phoenician traders - and ranges from Mesopotamia to the Rio Tinto at Huelva in modern Portugal. Its central point is the Jebel Aqra, the great mountain on the north Syrian coast which Robin Lane Fox dubs 'the southern Olympus', and around which much of the action of the book turns. Robin Lane Fox rejects the fashionable view of Homer and his near-contemporary Hesiod as poets who owed a direct debt to texts and poems from the near East, and by following the trail of the Greek travellers shows that they were, rather, in debt to their own countrymen. With characteristic flair he reveals how these travellers, progenitors of tales which have inspired writers and historians for thousands of years, understood the world before the beginnings of philosophy and western thought.