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.