Good Reads While Cruising the Med

[payn0045]

When I travel, I find that nothing helps set the mood better than a great book about the region, or sometimes just travel in general. While there won't be a ton of down time on our cruise, I still plan to bring a book or two for those relaxing hours on the ship.

 

I'm wondering if people have any favorite books with Mediterranean/Greek/Italian themes? Could be anything... fiction, autobiographical, engaging non-fiction...

 

Any suggestions?

 

To throw one of my favorites in the ring, last time I was in Italy, I read Christ Stopped at Eboli by Carlo Levi. It's a serious book, but a great picture of life in Southern Italy in the 1940s.

[English_in_Spain]

Have you read Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres? It takes place in Kefalonia, Greece.

[CathyCruises]

I have been on a Venice book kick--read a bunch by Donna Leon (The Commissario Guido Brunetti series, police/human interest books that all take place in and around Venice) and before we went last fall, I read City of Falling Angels by John Berendt, who wrote Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Falling Angels is his account of an arson fire at the Fenice Opera House, with a lot of insight into the Venetian mind-set.

 

I'd love to hear other recommendations as well.

 

Cathy

[epixx]

I've got my 14 year old reading The Agony and the Ecstasy and I, Claudius in preparation for our cruise stops in Florence and Rome.

[cruisemom42]

Under the Tuscan Sun (Tuscany/Florence) -- Frances Mayes; much MUCH better than the movie

 

The Pillars of Hercules (Mediterranean) -- Paul Theroux; based on his travels around the Med

 

Istanbul: Memories and the City (Istanbul) -- Orhan Pamuk; award-winning author writes of his memories growing up in Istanbul

 

Masters of Rome series (mainly Rome but covers the entire geography of the empire) -- Colleen McCullough; long series covering the end of the Republic and featuring Julius Caesar heavily

 

 

I also agree with CathyCruises re: Paul Berendt's book on Venice. It's a fun read.

[vakamalua]

Florence: the Birth of Venus; the Enchantress of Florence

Rome: I, Claudius; The First Man in Rome

Capri: The Story of San Michelle

Venice: Death in Venice

 

The National Geographic site has lists of books, movies and music for all the great cities.

[payn0045]

Wow! Thanks for all the great suggestions so far!

[shelbyz]

If you want something a little lighter try Playing for Pizza by John Grisham.

[tom_uk]

I hate to mention it, but Dan Brown's Angels & Demons includes a great travelogue of Rome.

[CathyCruises]

If you want something a little lighter try Playing for Pizza by John Grisham.

 

That was the last John Grisham book I read that I liked--the last two were just not up to par! I was really disappointed in The Associate--listened to it on tape on our last 15 hour drive to California--I kept stopping the CD and saying "That's ridiculous. That would never happen. No one would do that." So for our next trip, next week, I got Angels and Demons on tape--read it years ago but this should be good prep both for the movie and our next trip to Rome!

 

Great suggestions everyone--I am going to print this list and take it to the library--yeah, right! (It's in a trailer.) Maybe to Barnes and Noble next time I'm near civilization.

[janchor]

If you are going to be in Barcelona (or not!), The Shadow of the Wind by Zafon is a great read. Set in Barcelona post WWII---it was a best seller in Spain when it first came out and was translated into English about 4 years ago.

[SDcruising]

I will second the recommendation for The Shadow and the Wind, it is a beautifully written book. I'm planning to re-read it before I hit Barcelona on May 27th! :)

 

~ Bev

[luvz2run2000]

1000 Nights in Venice

1000 Nights in Tuscany

 

and for a fun lighthearted romp I Love Capri

[kluv2cruz]

Great book for the 14 year old or younger, and I enjoyed it too - The Thief Lord by Corenelia Funke. Also made into a movie with awesome scenery of Venice.

[cruisemom42]

Florence: the Birth of Venus; the Enchantress of Florence

Rome: I, Claudius; The First Man in Rome

Capri: The Story of San Michelle

Venice: Death in Venice

 

The National Geographic site has lists of books, movies and music for all the great cities.

 

 

I'm reading "The Enchantress of Florence" now -- great book!

 

Also, Stealing Athena by Karen Essex, is a good historical novel about how the Parthenon marbles came to be in the British Museum.

[Bobal]

Venice: The glassblower of Murano, also Miss Garnett's Angel

Corfu: My family and other animals

Florence: A Room with a View

[Bob and Peg]

If you want to go with an older author, some of Mary Stewart's books are set in Greece. When we visited Delphi, I immediately recogonized one village we stayed in as described in "My Brother Michael"; "The Moonspinners" is set in Greece and "This Rough Magic" is set on Corfu. Also "The Gabriel Hounds" is set in the Middle East - it's been a long time since I read it, so don't remember details.

 

Concur that "Angels & Demons" is a great preparation for Rome - or read it after you've been which is what I did. I recognized many of the sites covered in the book.

[sandinmyshoes]

If you are interested in just some fun "brain candy" type reading try Sisterchicks in Gondolas by Robin Jones Gunn. It's a quick, easy read that will get you ready to visit Venice. It's about two American women who have overcome dark periods in life and decide to go to Venice to cook for a friend's retreat group and the adventure that follows.

 

If you like Inspirational Romance books a great one is Love from Greece by Melanie Karis Panagiotopoulos (you may want to cut and paste that one into an Amazon search, it's a tough one). It's three novels that build on each other in one book and is another quick and fascinating read. The front blurb says "three modern women find love is as priceless as their Grecian roots". The first one is set in a remote Greek village, the second in Greece and NYC, and the third in ancient Olympia, Greece. I think it would be fun for you or your teenage daughter if you like that sort of thing.

[CathyCruises]

If you want to go with an older author, some of Mary Stewart's books are set in Greece. When we visited Delphi, I immediately recogonized one village we stayed in as described in "My Brother Michael"; "The Moonspinners" is set in Greece and "This Rough Magic" is set on Corfu. Also "The Gabriel Hounds" is set in the Middle East - it's been a long time since I read it, so don't remember details.

 

Concur that "Angels & Demons" is a great preparation for Rome - or read it after you've been which is what I did. I recognized many of the sites covered in the book.

 

I used to love Mary Stewart's books growing up--haven't read them in YEARS! I think I have read every one--time to do it all over again. Thanks for the reminder!

[CoralReef]

I agree with those who suggested:

- Robert Graves' I, Claudius & Claudius the God for Rome.

- Colleen McCullough's series for Rome - a little heavier reading, but well written and impeccably researched.

- Angels & Demons for Rome - kinda nuts at the end, but overall good.

- Shadow of the Wind for Barcelona - excellent!

- A Room with a View for Florence, a classic.

 

Also for Rome, try Steven Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa Series. The first few are detective novels, the later ones are more historical fiction. Very well researched and also entertaining, although some are "fluffier" than others. My favorites were A Murder on the Appian Way and Catilina's Riddle.

 

I enjoyed The Enchantress of Florence, but didn't find it very atmospheric of Florence. The Monster of Florence was good if you like true crime, or Paul McAuley's Pasquale's Angel if you like science fiction.

 

Barbara Nadel's murder mystery series for Istanbul; also Maureen Freely's Enlightenment.

 

Mary Taylor Simeti's On Persphone's Island for Sicily.

 

Pompeii by Robert Harris.

 

Robert D. Kaplan's Mediterranean Winter - beautifully written memoir/travelogue.

[CoralReef]

If you like video, the HBO Rome series (seasons 1 & 2) are fantastic! They are incredibly well researched and written. The Elizabeth Taylor classic Cleopatra is also great.

[andygus]

I will second the recommendation for The Shadow and the Wind, it is a beautifully written book. I'm planning to re-read it before I hit Barcelona on May 27th! :)

 

~ Bev

 

I was going to recommend this as well! For sure this is the book if you are going to Barcelona.

[sailor moon]

The Ventian Betrayal by Steve Berry

[jocap]

Sally Vickers- Miss Garnet's Angels-about Venice.

Victoria Hislop-The Island-Greece.

Alistair Maclean-Santorini-thriller!

Nicholas Monsarrat-The Kappillan of Malta- the brave struggles of the island during WW2, by the Cruel Sea author.

[cruisingmimi]

Wow, guys, thanks for all the suggested books! I have written them down so when I go to the library this week, I'll be able to find something on the list.

 

I've been "stuck" on new authors to read so this is great. Thanks again. Happy reading everyone!

 

Mary