Description
Book Synopsis"A vivid and intoxicating account of these beautiful islands" - Victoria Hislop. "A must-read for anyone who loves the Greek islands" - Richard Clark 'There's something about abandoned places which moves me and captures the imagination.' So says seasoned travel writer Jennifer Barclay as she walks with her dog and her backpack through the deserted spaces of the Dodecanese, islands that were once bustling but are now half forgotten and reclaimed by the wild due to a mix of misfortune and the lure of opportunity elsewhere. Join her on a journey through abandoned villages and farms, cave-houses and captains' mansions, the homes of displaced Muslim fishermen and poets, as she discovers beauty in the ruins, emptiness and silence, and inspiration in the stories of people's lives. A long-term resident of Greece, Jennifer Barclay spent more than four years researching Wild Abandon, visiting islands multiple times and talking to local people to hear their stories. She travels from the very west to the very east of the Dodecanese, from the very south almost to the very north, taking in some of the smallest and the biggest islands, and highlighting different stories along the way to show the complex history behind these havens of tranquillity. She discovers a villa intended for Benito Mussolini's retirement, an island that links a gramophone from St Petersburg and a portrait in the American National Gallery via a pack of cigarettes, and reflects on the days when an economy based on sponges and burnt rock supported thousands. Wild Abandon is an elegy in praise of abandoned places and a search for lost knowledge through the wildest and most deserted locations.
Trade Review"A vivid and intoxicating account of these beautiful islands" - Victoria Hislop. "Jennifer Barclay takes the reader on a delightful serendipitous journey along paths less well trodden in the Dodecanese. She is an engaging travelling companion whose knowledge of and affection for the islands she holds dear shines through. Wild Abandon is a must read for anyone who loves the Greek Islands." Richard Clark, author of The Lost Lyra and The Greek Islands Notebook. "I loved it, it's a magical book; and so great to be taken beyond the tourist enclaves by someone who knows these islands and their history so well. Barclay travels and writes with wonderful energy, affection and honesty and I was transported by to the dusty tracks and into the cool waves with her and her dog Lisa. She travels with a brave freedom that so many of us will envy - a three-day journey to one island turning into a year and a half - and this allows her to dig beneath the surface and tell us the stories, the real stories, of these out-of-the-way places that take time to emerge. Highly recommended... " - Iain Campbell, author From the Lion's Mouth "(Jennifer Barclay's) solitary wanderings, her constant contact with nature. and her attachment to simplicity and freedom render her book exceptionally timely." - Greece Is magazine "Adored this absolute gem of a book. I dare you to read it and not immediately want to move to Greece." Charlie Carroll, author of 'The Friendship Highway and The Lip' "This is a beautiful and well researched book documenting in superb detail the rugged charm, changing landscape, and the tumultuous history of the Dodecanese islands. You can almost smell the wild oregano and taste the saganaki cheese. This is a must read for anyone visiting the area, and for anyone interested in modern Greek history." Atulya K Bingham, The Mud Home blog
Table of ContentsCONTENTS Introduction Ghosts and Goats: Tilos The Maker and Breaker of Fortunes: Nisyros Faith in Water: Kos Gold in the Sea: Kalymnos Bee Windows and Burning Rocks: Astypalea When the Bird Flies: Rhodes Bridge of Light: Kastellorizo Clouds over Olympos: Karpathos No More than Stories: Kasos Roads to Nowhere: Halki Enough: Arki Refuge: Tilos Dodecanese History: Some Key Dates Resources and Further Reading What We Leave Behind
