5 comments about Olympic Wandering: Time Travel Through Greece.

1. Professor Lundberg had me from the first two sentence--"The gods ordained this country for individualism. The geography demands it"--because I wanted to see how he would prove this provocative premise, and he did. His love of Greece--ancient and modern-- comes through on every page and makes one envious of his passion. Kudos, Professor.



2. This story tells of the buildup, and aftermath of the Great Trojan War, as seen the the eyes of Ulysses. Most of the first part of this short, but interesting book, tells of the search for Achilles, a famed warrior of Greece. supposing that they could not defeat Troy without him, Ulysses, and his fellow Greek warrior seek for him, to accompany them on their merry adventure.
   What the author lacks in detailed description of the many battle scenes(as I'm sure this was his intent-for that you will have to read Homer's Illiad, and Odyssey) he makes up for, in his description of Greece, it's people, beautiful land, and it's gods, and how they fit into today's modern Greek society.
   The Trojan War is handled in one short paragragh, and Ulysses' adventures on his return home, and battle to recapture his house, wife, and family from ilicit suitors is also glossed over, which is why I gave this book 4, instead of 5 stars. Even so, he directs you to books you can read in greater depth on this subject, and you still find the story interesting, and more than worth your few hours reading time.
   Indeed, anyone traveling to Greece for the first time, should read this book on the plane, or boat ride over, if they want to get a great taste of the land they are about to embark upon.



3. Once in a while, a book comes along that makes you *sigh*.
   
   OLYMPIC WANDERING is such a book for me. I spent 3 lovely summer months in Greece when I was too young to appreciate the gift I had been given.
   
   David Lundberg shows me the Greece I missed. And he makes me want to go back 'home' again.
   
   The Ulysses parallel didn't quite click for me, but it's been a long time since I've read the classics, so maybe the subject was just over my head and beyond my reach.
   
   When Lundberg talkes about swimming in the inky blue water, I can feel the sun and the salt and I can see the beauty of the Greek coast.
   
   Enjoy!



4. I must admit that David Lundberg is very descriptive in his words whether describing a simplified story of the Battle of Troy or Greek Culture today. I enjoy the passion he exhibits in describing family and friends who he has encountered while visiting this intriguing of the world. Some of the events in his modified story of Ulysess are quite noteworthy particularly finding Achillies dressed in womens garb.
   
   However the connection between parts one and two is a little vague and somewhat off the mark. Lundberg describes the greeks as passionate and emotional yet Ulysess's safe journey home was due to the fact that he keep his emotions in check. According to text earlier in this book, Ulysess was guided to be this way from his father. Lundenberg also gives many anecdotes of many characters who he met whie touring the Greek Islnds. Some he describes more vividly than others. But nowhere does he describe a modern day person in comparison to someone from the days of Ulysess and Hellen of Troy.
   
   Those who have a greater appreciation for Greek Culture might have more insight into what Lundberg is trying to say. I would certainly recommend such an audience to peruse this book and the journey may certainly take you someplace special. I certainly could appreciate some parts myself.



5. This was an interesting and engrossing book about Greece (including its surrounding islands) which helps connect the historical world of Ancient Greece with the scenery and people found there today. (Reading it with a map or atlas handy would definitely enhance the experience).
   
   The first half retells the story of Odysseus and his journey to Troy, with a special emphasis on the sites as we know them today (great for those preparing for a trip to Greece - especially if you're interested in getting a handle on the names and significance of the various islands). The second half emphasizes personal stories of the author's own travels and visits to Greece which bring to life its land, people, personality and culture of Greece.
   
   Fascinating and enjoyable!

5 comments about Dogs in the Sun.

1. Hans Silvester does an amazing job of capturing the spirit, personality and playfulness of dogs in this book. The photographs are wonderful, and the book is designed so that you can linger on each image and appreciate Silvester's skill as a photographer. I particularly enjoyed the photographic stories--sequences of images that show us dogs playing, exploring, being. I've never been to Greece, but now I feel like I have--at least to see the dogs there! Makes a beautiful coffee-table book.



2. This is another book review by the boonie dogs, Wolfie and Kansas. "Dogs in the Sun" by Hans Silvester is a book of photos of the stray dogs on Greek islands. We love the concept, although a Pacific island, like our own, would have provided a more colorful setting. The photos here portray real canine life, as opposed to the cute, but posed or staged, photos usually found in dog picture books. Unlike most books of this type, "Dogs in the Sun" might not be an appropriate gift for human puppies, as it contains some pictures of dog sex and violence.



3. All of Hans Silvester's photography books of dogs, cats & kittens in the Greek Cyclades Island are lovely examples of fine photography. As a fine art photographer myself, I respect Mr. Silvester's level of skill and artistry, and I find his other books very beautiful.

   However, when I became aware of his books about the cats and dogs, I was thoroughly dismayed by his choice of subject matter and the way he has chosen to portray the lives of these creatures as idyllic and carefree.

   Having been to these Greek islands, I have learned firsthand that the large majority of these poor animals are ignored, injured, or mistreated by people there-anything but "respected." The photographer has omitted portraits of the true conditions of most of the dogs and cats in Greece-crippled, starving, dying of thirt, hurt or maimed, with the humans around them barely taking notice.

   The full horror of the story was revealed to me by locals on the islands. Each year, the cats & dogs are allowed to breed uncontrolled, because tourists are fond of seeing the cute animals around the island & on the beaches. At the end of each tourist season, as many of them as possible are rounded up and killed (I couldn't bear to learn how), until the following year when the ones that survived begin the cycle all over again. I found this same story on all the islands I visited, including Mykonos, and I was so appalled that I shortened my stay and left Greece altogether.

   The situation is a tragedy, and my feeling, as a photographer & animal lover, is that Mr. Silvester should not be misrepresenting the condition of cats and dogs on the Greek islands, especially when it is for monetary gain. I hope animal lovers around the world will agree, and send a message to anyone who profits in any way from the suffering of these dogs and cats in the sun.




4. I enjoy good photography, dogs and Greece has got to be one of the most photogenic places on earth. This book promised to be a great one but I found that ultimately I was disappointed. Although some of the pictures of the dogs were likeable, this book didn't really seem to bring out the beauty of the Greek Islands.
   
   Furthermore I found the author's attitude that somehow being a stray dog on a Greek Island is an easy and desirable existence to be naive and silly at best. Greece has a pretty bad record on animal welfare and I shudder to think how the dogs are really treated when not being photographed. Being homeless, hungry and subject to human abuse all the time is not a desirable situation for any animal, even on a fantastic Greek Island.



5. I bought this for my grandmother for mothers day and am returning it. Judging by the cover I was expecting a little brighter content. However, I was keeping an open mind as i flipped through it and was appreciative that it was a little more in tune with the reality of being a stray dog in greece. However, at the end there are 2 pictures of dogs mating. Thats fine, but not for grandma.

No comments about Passport's Illustrated Guide to the Greek Islands.

1 comments about Fodor's Athens: The Collected Traveler.

1. Barrie Kerper says she has been keeping travel files in cardboard cartons for many years: cuttings, clippings, articles, leaflets. Here she selects from what she has on Greece and the result is dynamite but instead of exploding, it delights and impresses. The book includes material on Athens, the island of the Aegean, and the Poeloponnese. Some selections were written by experienced veterans in the art of travel writing (Robert Kaplan, Patricia Storace)and others by less important but still excellent writers. My own favorite section is the one about the Islands, which includes articles on Patmos, Rhodes, Chios and others. Kerper accompanies each selction with a brief piece about its author and the genesis of the article. The book also contains several carefully annotated bibliographies, presumably prepared by also by Kerper. A fine book.

No comments about The Rough Guides' Athens Directions 2 (Rough Guide Directions).

No comments about Europe without Baedeker : Sketches Among the Ruins of Italy, Greece & England, Together With Notes from a European Diary.

1 comments about Knopf MapGuide: Boston (Knopf Mapguides).

1. I recently moved to MA and needed a quick reference guide for Boston. This guide fits the bill, great lay out! The only improvement I could think of is coating the maps with something to make them more durable. This little guid easily fits into a purse or even a coat pocket and no more unfolding huge maps!

No comments about Greece Map (International Map).

No comments about Special Places to Stay Greece (Alastair Sawday's Special Places to Stay S.).

No comments about Greek Islands, 9th (Country & Regional Guides - Cadogan).