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World » Europe » Greece

Most Recommended Books

The Histories by Herodotus

“The reason I’ve chosen him for Sparta and the Spartans is because he’s the first surviving author who describes the Spartans for us. He doesn’t just talk about them in the Persian Wars, he actually introduces us to the Spartans and tells us about their practices, the different ways their society works and its historical origins. He travelled to Sparta, as well, probably around 450 BC, which makes him quite special for us as a primary source.”

Andrew Bayliss,

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Modern Greece has a complicated relationship with its ancient counterpart. Greek novelist Christos Chomenidis talks about how the modern myths of Greece are related to its relationship to the past and chooses books to illustrate this. The modern Greek state, he maintains, was founded on a romantic vision of resurrecting the glory of the past.  “It was a very effective vision, but also a trap.”

Among his books is the autobiography of Markos Vamvakaris, The Man and the Bouzouki, which he describes as “one of the greatest books I have ever read”. Vamvakaris, the patriarch of folk music in Greece, describes “real life in Greece at the point where working-class life meets the underworld before the second world war.” In contrast, The Third Wedding by Costas Taktsis is a novel that “offers a picture to those who really want to understand how the Bourgeoisie in Greece was.” He also chooses a selection of poems and short stories, Oktana, by the surrealist Andreas Empeirikos, Deadline in Athens by the contemporary crime novelist Petros Markaris, and No! I’m a Stork! by the comic artist Arkas.

Christopher Pelling, the Emeritus Regius Professor of Greek at Oxford, chooses the best books on Ancient Greece that trace “what Greek authors and Greek ideas have meant, and may still mean.” As well as The Iliad, Herodotus’ Histories and Euripides’ Medea, he chooses two modern books, Democracy: A Life by Paul Cartledge and Greek Fire: The influence of Ancient Greece on the Modern World by Oliver Taplin, both of which examine the influence of ancient Greek ideas and culture on later eras.

We also have interviews looking at the best books on Greek cooking, the best books on Greek myths, the best books on the Levant, on ancient history in modern life and on learning ancient Greek.  We have a separate section devoted to ancient philosophy and philosophers, much of which is dedicated to the Greeks. Their influence is discussed throughout the rest of our philosophy section.

    The best books on Sparta, recommended by Andrew Bayliss

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    The best books on Sparta - The Histories by Herodotus

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    The Histories
    by Herodotus

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    The best books on Sparta - Spartan Reflections by Paul Cartledge

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    Spartan Reflections
    by Paul Cartledge

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    The best books on Sparta - Spartan Women by Sarah Pomeroy

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    Spartan Women
    by Sarah Pomeroy

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    The best books on Sparta - Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae by Steven Pressfield

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    Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae
    by Steven Pressfield

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    The best books on Sparta - Property and Wealth in Classical Sparta by Stephen Hodkinson

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    Property and Wealth in Classical Sparta
    by Stephen Hodkinson

The best books on Sparta, recommended by Andrew Bayliss

Their reputation for self-discipline and self-denial made their way into the English language, but what the ancient Spartans were really like remains a source of debate among scholars, not least because they wrote little themselves. Andrew Bayliss, Senior Lecturer in Greek History at the University of Birmingham and author of an excellent, short book on The Spartans, talks us through what we know about the heroes of Thermopylae, including the darker sides of their culture and society.

    The best books on Ancient Greece, recommended by Christopher Pelling

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    The best books on Ancient Greece - The Iliad by Homer

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    The Iliad
    by Homer

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    The best books on Ancient Greece - The Histories by Herodotus

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    The Histories
    by Herodotus

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    The best books on Ancient Greece - Medea by Euripides

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    Medea
    by Euripides

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    The best books on Ancient Greece - Democracy: A Life by Paul Cartledge

    4

    Democracy: A Life
    by Paul Cartledge

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    The best books on Ancient Greece - Greek Fire by Oliver Taplin

    5

    Greek Fire
    by Oliver Taplin

The best books on Ancient Greece, recommended by Christopher Pelling

Ancient Greece’s legacy can be seen all around us, including in our political system — but many of us don’t know that much about it. Fortunately, we have someone who has devoted his life to studying this remote time and place to give us a reading list. Chris Pelling, Emeritus Regius Professor of Greek at Oxford, recommends his top five books on Ancient Greece.

    The best books on Greek Cooking, recommended by Diana Farr Louis and June Marinos

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    The best books on Greek Cooking - The Food and Wine of Greece by Diane Kochilas

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    The Food and Wine of Greece
    by Diane Kochilas

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    The best books on Greek Cooking - The Home Book of Greek Cookery by Joyce M Stubbs

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    The Home Book of Greek Cookery
    by Joyce M Stubbs

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    The best books on Greek Cooking - Mediterranean Street Food by Anissa Helou

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    Mediterranean Street Food
    by Anissa Helou

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    The best books on Greek Cooking - The Cookbook of the Jews of Greece by Nicholas Stavroulakis

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    The Cookbook of the Jews of Greece
    by Nicholas Stavroulakis

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    The best books on Greek Cooking - Greek Cheese by Elias Mamalakis

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    Greek Cheese
    by Elias Mamalakis

The best books on Greek Cooking, recommended by Diana Farr Louis and June Marinos

The authors of Prospero’s Kitchen take us on a culinary tour of Greece and explain how the country’s history has influenced its cuisine in sometimes surprising ways

    Christos Chomenidis recommends books on the Real Greece

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    Christos Chomenidis recommends books on the Real Greece - Markos Vamvakaris: The Man and the Bouzouki by Angeliki Vellou Keil

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    Markos Vamvakaris: The Man and the Bouzouki
    by Angeliki Vellou Keil

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    Christos Chomenidis recommends books on the Real Greece - The Third Wedding by Costas Taktsis

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    The Third Wedding
    by Costas Taktsis

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    Christos Chomenidis recommends books on the Real Greece - Oktana by Andreas Empeirikos

    3

    Oktana
    by Andreas Empeirikos

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    Christos Chomenidis recommends books on the Real Greece - Deadline in Athens by Petros Markaris

    4

    Deadline in Athens
    by Petros Markaris

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    Christos Chomenidis recommends books on the Real Greece - No! I'm a Stork! by Azkas

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    No! I'm a Stork!
    by Azkas

Christos Chomenidis recommends books on the Real Greece

Greek myths are not all classical tales of heroes and tempestuous gods. Here, the novelist Christos Chomenidis chooses five books that get to the heart of what it really means to hail from Greece, and why it’s hard to live in the wake of the Ancients.

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We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

This site has an archive of more than one thousand interviews, or five thousand book recommendations. We publish at least two new interviews per week.

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