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One Mykonos: Being Ancient, Being Islands, Being Giants, Being Gay
by James Davidson
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (2000-07-24)
ISBN: 0312262140
EAN: 9780312262143
Dewy Decimal #: 949.585
Hardcover: 160 pages
Edition: 1st
SKU: H5155
Condition: New
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
The Giants were the cousins of the Olympians, who rebelled and were defeated. "When all the gods had slaked their thirst for particular vengeance there were still a few Giants left over, dead in all their various shapes and sizes. Hercules looked around a bit to see if anyone was looking, then brushed them all under one Mykonos."
In antiquity, Mykonos had little going for it, apart from being the sibling island to Delos, birthplace of Apollo. The Persians regrouped there after their defeat in 490 BCE at Marathon. Throughout most of the first 1000 years CE regular pillaging by the Turks impoverished the inhabitants. With its labrynthine streets and minimal buildings, it became a haven, hiding spies all the way up through the Napoleonic and First World Wars.
James Davidson, a brilliant young classical scholar, visited Mykonos for the gay Festival of the Twelve Gods and found it a hedonistic paradise. Although he is in modern Mykonos, ancient Mykonos' history and mythology periodically consume the narrative, asserting their influence and power. Part travelogue, part classical history, part personal essay, part mythology, this is a witty and fascinating gem of a book.
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Amazon.com Review
Don't be put off by the goofy subtitle to this rich but meandering account of Greek history and myth as it touches on Mykonos, a picturesque island that had only a small part to play in ancient history, and its tiny and deserted neighboring isle, Delos, a shrine for centuries, where the god Apollo was supposed to have been born and which is still studded with the white marble ruins of temples. Although Delos is now only a curiosity for the history buff or the archeologist, Mykonos ranks among the most-visited resorts in the world, with its long beaches, spare, scrubby hillsides, and stunning views over the Aegean. It is certainly among the top 10 gay vacation spots, and it was as tourists that James Davidson and his friends first discovered the island and fell under its spell. One Mykonos is a meditation on place with an inescapable emphasis on time, grounded as much in Davidson's memories as in his sparkling scholarship. --Regina Marler
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Customer Reviews
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An essential little book IF you are traveling to Mykonos...
Rating  (3)
Date: 2000-10-25
8 out of 8 customers found this reveiw helpful
I wanted to love this book. Like so many others I long to experience the magic of Mykonos and opted for this book as a surrogate. It is well written, but it is more for the reader interested in Greek history than those who expect to discover the essence of an island, a haven, a fantasy. Highly recommended as a suitcase tuck if you're planning a vacation to the Greek Islands, but if you crave the flavor of the place this is a disappointingly dry read.
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Mykonos & Much, Much More!
Rating  (5)
Date: 2000-07-26
5 out of 6 customers found this reveiw helpful
I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book, but I'm now convinced I loved it. James Davidson, that handsome, brilliant young classical scholar from London has given us a small book (5 ½ in.by 7 ½, & 151 Pages). However, this book may be small in size and page number but is full of great information. It's part travelogue, classical history, mythology, and personal essay about the island of Mykonos. Mykonos is among the top 10 gay vacation spots today. Davidson gives us his impressions and feelings, as well as a wonderful history of this beautiful island. This is a fascinating read, and now I know I definitely want to visit this Greek island of Mykonos. Reading Mr. Davidson's wonderful book made me feel as if I actually had visited there already. It's nice to know the history of a place, and this book gives you that, but you also get his feelings about life there, too. Make sure you read this one; highly recommended.
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