Whether you’re just dreaming of a summer vacation in the Greek islands or traveling to Greece to see all of its history and culture, reading up on the best books on Greece is a must before travel. Home to the ancient Greek gods and rich cultural traditions, this country is also filled with beautiful beaches, amazing food, and ancient ruins. Here’s our list of books on Greece, some by those born and raised in Greece and others by foreigners who have fallen in love with its traditions and way of living.
Here are the Best Books on Greece to Read
The Odyssey by Homer
This Homer classic is one of the first pieces of Western literature. Although it is not about a Greek vacation or an island romance, it will deepen your understanding of the early days of modern history, mythology, war, and will give you a great context of Greek culture back in the 8th century. The story is about Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, traveling home after the fall of Troy. A must-read for your travels through Greece.
Why I Killed My Best Friend by Amanda Michalopoulou
Set in the 1970s during the Greek dictatorship, this story revolves around the intense and out of the ordinary friendship between two girls. Both relocated to Athens, the two girls instantly bond over their similar situations and become inseparable. With time, as they grow older, their relationships begin to change due to relationships, goals, talents and even political beliefs. This easy to read book compares and explores a deep friendship amidst a political system of totalitarianism and democracy.
Zigzag Through the Bitter-Orange Trees by Ersi Sotiropoulos
Published in 2000 and later acclaimed “the best novel of the decade” winning the Greek State Prize for Literature and the prestigious Book Critics' Award this book on Greece tells the story of four young and very diverse characters living in modern Greece under different circumstances. The story recounts their relationships as well as their isolation through dark humor reaching a deeper understanding of Greek culture to those reading.
A Concise History of Greece by Richard Clogg
With only 300 pages, this complex narrative on Greece is able to condense and explain modern Greece through the lens of history. Clogg recounts the story of Greece’s inclusion in the Ottoman Empire, through a civil war, two World Wars and finishes with where the country is in the new millennium. Richard Clogg helps readers finish with a comprehensive understanding of how Greece stands now both economically and politically in the first half of the 21st century.
Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis
In Greece, Zorba is considered to be part of the memorable creations of literature, due to his view of life, which can be filled with happiness and sadness while helping us see the true meaning of humanity. The primary storyline revolves around Zorba, a Greek working man and lover of life who is relocated to Crete to work in a lignite mine. Underneath is the story of God and man, good and evil, and the struggle of humans in finding their souls and purpose in life.
The Island by Victoria Hislop
Based in Greek history, this fictional story tells the tale of Alexis, a girl traveling to Crete to learn where her mother was born and had lived before moving to London. She ends up learning a very dark and harsh past of her family living in a small island, known to be a leper’s colony. This story shows how World War II and suffering from leprosy would tear apart families.
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres
Set on the island of Kefalonia, during the time Italians and Germans occupied the territory, this book tells the love story between Pelagia, who is Greek, and Captain Corelli being Italian. Set during the early days of the Second World War before Greece was invaded by Benito Mussolini, it is even more difficult for the two protagonists to negotiate the minefield of allegiances between these two sides. This book shows how the true colors of war infect everyone it touches. This story has been adapted to a recognized movie.
The Colossus of Maroussi by henry miller
Recognized as one of the five greatest travel books of all time, this travelogue covers Miller’s travels around Greece back in 1939. The story consists of his adventures traveling to Athens, Crete, Corfu, Poros, Hydra, and Delphi, and it is now known to be one of his best works. Miller’s adventure started after he got invited to travel to this unknown country, which led him to accept the invitation in search of rejuvenating his writing.
Adults in the Room By Yanis Varoufakis
If you are looking for a not-so-easy read yet want to find yourself not being able to stop turning the pages this is probably, a good one for you. Varoufakis applies all the knowledge he learned while serving as Greece’s Minister of Finance during the first semester of 2015. He uses his voice to tell how it felt to be “inside” Greece’s debt negotiations and observe the true colors of politicians. Recognized as “one of the greatest political memoirs of all time” by The Guardian, this is a great non-fiction choice for your books on Greece.
Eleni by Nicholas Gage
Back in 1948 in Greece, a terrible civil war hit the country. Children all over the nation were abducted by the communists and sent to community camps. The book is about Gage’s mother, Eleni, and all the struggles she went through trying to save her four children from the claws of the communists during that time. For doing as much as she could to protect her family, by fighting the ideology of that time, she was sent to jail and tortured. The story is has moved many people all over the world and has been translated into 32 different languages since it was published in 1983.
Freedom and Death by Nikos Kazantzakis
Set in Crete in the late nineteenth century, Freedom and Death is based on the conflict between the Greeks and Turks in regards to their independent religions. Many call Freedom and Death the modern Iliad. The Greek Captain Michales alongside his blood-brother Nurey Bey, a Turk, must work together to seek ways to resolve the sudden explosion of violence in the small town of Crete. This book gives the perfect glimpse of the Greek and Turkish conflict throughout history and how it has shaped society today.
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