Book listings and book reviews
If you would like to review any of the books listed here or want to suggest books associated with Kefalonia and the Ionian islands, please contact Francesca Roe by email
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KEFALONIA READ ON
MAPS - BOOKS - GUIDES AND INFORMATION AVAILABLE LOCALLY
Discovering Kefalonia And Ithaki
Henriette Metaxas ISBN 960-87349-2-4 The locally produced guides are usually the best ones and this handy pocket-sized guide will give you a wealth of information about Kefalonia that is not always available from the larger publishers. There's a calendar of Paniyiria - local festivals throughout Kefalonia and some excellent information on the history of the islands of Kefalonia and Ithaki. Available from shops and kiosks on Kefalonia or from the publishers based in Kefalonia: Reithron Editions 2, I. Metaxa Sq. 28086 Poros, Kefalonia tel.: 26740-72220 e-mail: reithron@hol.gr
Herbs - Trees And Traditions of Cephalonia
Anna-Maria Simpson Illustrations by Gerasimos Razis-Galiatsatos ISBN 960-86481-0-6 A beautifully illustrated book which relates the wild herbs and trees of Cephalonia to the island's historical background and traditions. Available from shops on Kefalonia. Distribution: 14 Ioannis Phokas, Phokata, 28100 Kefalonia, Greece
Brief Pilgimative Guide of Holy Metropolis of Cephalonia
With the Blessing of the Most Rev. Spyridon Metropolitan of Cephalonia As it says in the introduction, 'The superb island of Cephalonia which the creator God decorated with rich physical beauties is also full of Holy pilgrimages, of increased interest, evidence of its glorious past and the unfolding, in the highest degree, of the religious feeling of its inhabitants and of the Cephalonians residing abroad.' An excellent guide to some of the monasteries and churches on the island, available from Saint Gerasimos Monastery in Greek and English. Published by the Holy Metropolis of Cephalonia 19
History of Cephalonia
George N. Moschopoulos ISBN 960-90811-26 Written by a university professor who has published a synopsis of his two-volume book, this covers the island's history from ancient times to he Roman conquest and in part II, the middle ages to modern times covering the island under British rule and up to World War II. Available in bookshops locally.
National Park of Ainos
A pocket-sized guide including maps of the mountain and photos of flora and fauna making an ideal souvenir for around 5 euro. Published and available from the Museum of Natural History in Davgata village, Kefalonia, Greece
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Kefalonia for Children by Doris Wille
Beautifuly illustrated by Maria Teresa de Rosario
Assisted by and dedicated to her two children Lukas and Nikolas, Doris Wille has produced a delightful book for children about Kefalonia featuring turtles, castles, grottoes, beaches and more. It's an unusual guide to Kefalonia with drawings, puzzles and games
ISBN
960-91987-1-6
contact author
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Tassia Dendrinos of Fiscardo Recipe Book
A wonderfully illustrated recipe book written by Tassia Dendrinos available from her taverna in Fiscardo and in local bookstores.
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Odysseus Unbound
The Search for Homer's Ithaca by Robert Bittlestone
Where is the Ithaca described in such detail in Homer's Odyssey? The mystery has baffled scholars for over two millennia. This book offers a compelling solution to one of the oldest problems in classical scholarship using a combination of literary, geological and archaeological clues.
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Ionian Storms
During WW2, two former allies, the Germans and the Italians, fought a little-known, mini-war on the island of Cephalonia, with tragic consequences for the local inhabitants and catastrophic ones for the Italians. The period of foreign occupation was followed by bitter civil strife which lasted a good seven years. And then, as the Cephalonians had, at last, started to rebuild their lives, the earthquakes of 1953 destroyed not just their towns and villages, but the very cultural fibre of their society. The story runs in parallel to the active involvement, during this entire period, of a remarkable woman, who had landed on Cephalonia in the middle of the war, armed only with her violin. The narration, which makes liberal use of her witty diaries, follows her as she experienced, and empathized with, the plight of the common people and, through her direct actions, became for many a beacon of hope and a safe haven.
Author
Ionian Storms: War, Quakes and Discord On the Island of Cephalonia, By Nicholas Enessee
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Fiscardo A Village in Kefallonia
Panayis Dendrinos and Nikos Bakounakis ISBN 960-14-0739-1 Described as an anthropology of an island community, this is also a personal photo album compiled to preserve the image of a bygone era. Lovingly compiled with some wonderful photos dating back to the early 1930's. Published by Livani Publishing, 98 Solomos Street, 10680 Athens, Greece Tel ++44 210 3661200 Fax ++44 210 3617791 Website www.livanis.grAvailable locally in bookshops.
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The Greek Taverna Cookbook by Gill Tomlinson
website
A mouthwatering selection of Greek recipes, straight from the taverna kitchens of the island of Kefalonia. Recreate the flavours of Greece in your own home with forty traditional family recipes. 24 chefs share their culinary secrets for creating familiar Greek dishes as well as Kefalonian specialities. * Cook real taverna food * Recreate the flavours of your summer holiday * Carefully tested, authentic recipes * Easy-to-follow instructions * Perfect gift for the Mediterranean cook. More than just a cookbook, this is an artistic celebration of Greek taverna life. It is full of local info and insights into Greek culture. Classic taverna recipes have been carefully selected and personally tested for the home.Cook, artist and grecophile, Gill's evocative watercolour sketches capture the colour, light and atmosphere of Captain Corelli's Island. The book is a colourful celebration of Greek taverna life with more than 350 full-colour illustrations.
website
Gill trained as a cook and as a cookery teacher. She worked in mainstream catering, ran her own snack bar, cooked in vegetarian/wholefood restaurants, and also taught wholefood cookery classes. Later, a growing interest in art led Gill to study printed textile design at Chelsea College of Art & Design, and a new career began as a textile designer in London. However, regular visits to Greece were always an essential escape!
This book combines a love of food, cooking and Greek culture, with her love of artistic expression and colour. At the time of writing, Gill and her graphic designer husband, Mick, have just followed their dreams and moved to a village near Koroni in the south-west Peloponnese. Gill is planning to offer classes in traditional Greek cooking, featuring local village ladies and taverna chefs.
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Kefalonia Captured
Kefalonia Captured - a collection of photos by David Evans. Born in the U.K., Dave now lives on the island of Kefalonia. Having studied photography at Wiltshire College Salisbury (1980-83), he worked as a studio-based commercial photographer in England. His main interest now is landscape and location photography.
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Oil Paint and Greece
Oil Paint and Greece; Memories of Kefalonia by Peter Hemming. The autobiographical account of the author's time living and painting in Kefalonia. Available in paperback and ebook, (you can look inside) through Amazon and other distributors. Cover illustration by Peter Hemming.
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Stealing the Marbles by E. J. Knapp
In the 19th century Lord Elgin stole the Marbles In the 21st century Danny Samsel is going to steal them back. When does a wrong become a right? Danny Samsel has defeated the finest security systems in the world. Interpol wants him, the FBI wants him, the CIA wants him. He is a Master Thief even the White House could not prevent him from liberating one of their paintings.
Now, after a year languishing on Kefalonia, he has turned his attention to his greatest adventure: the heist of the century. In the 19th century Lord Elgin stole pieces of the Parthenon and shipped them to England. He has decided to restore the Marbles to Greece. His motives are not entirely altruistic: having enraged Kastania, his beautiful and extraordinary girlfriend – able to access and overcome any computer system – he wants her back in his life. She never left his heart. And he needs her help to steal the Marbles from the British Museum. With help from old friends in the States, Britain, France and Greece plus a few new, surprising ones, Danny and the Marbles endure a perilous journey to their Hellenic home. With dire, gruesome and sometimes vicious interventions from Interpol and avaricious underworld art collectors, Danny meets and conquers obstacles with grit and humour. At great cost to himself and grievous loss to his accomplices, Danny rights an international wrong, settles a few other scores, perplexes old foes, and guarantees the future of his chosen career.
STEALING THE MARBLES is available from Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, Mobipocket and all good book stores. ISBN: 978-0-9814256-6-5 (eBook) $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-9869731-7-8 (POD)
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Point and Counter-point
by Nicholas Enessee
ISBN number
960-87338-5-5
The author lives on Cephalonia and writes: 'During WW2, two former allies, the Germans and the Italians, fought a little-known mini war on the island of Cephalonia, with tragic consequences for the local inhabitants and catastrophic ones for the Italians.'
The period of foreign occupation was followed by bitter civil strife which lasted a good seven years. And then, as the Cephalonians had at last started to rebuild their lives, the earthquakes of 1953 destroyed not just their towns and villages, but the very cultural fibre of their society.
The story runs in paralel with the active involvement, during this entire period, of a remarkable woman, who had landed on Cephalonia in the middle of the war, armed only with her violin. The narration, which makes liveral use of her witty diaries, follows her as she experienced, and empathized with, the plight of the common people and, through her direct actions, became for many a beacon of hope and a safe haven.
Available
Available from local bookshops and from the Gentilini Wine Estate shop during the summer months.
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The Roads of Cefalonia
Helen Cosmetatos Helen Cosmetatos was curator of the Corgialenios Museum and compiled a fascinating guide to the history of the roads of Kefalonia, the work being dedicated to the memory of Charles James Napier (Resident on Kefalonia 1825).
ISBN Number
ISBN 960-90220-0-6
Available
Available in local book shops and at the museum.
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