It's All Greek to Me!: A Tale of a Mad Dog and an Englishman, Ruins, Retsina--And Real Greeks

by John Mole and John Mole

Book Overview

An Englishman and a Greek village bond over bottles of ouzo, whiskey, and wine in a charming saga of sun, sea, sand, and cement. John Mole tells of the back-breaking but joyous labors of fixing up his own Arcadia and introduces a warm, generous, and garrulous cast of characters who helped and occasionally hindered his progress."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1857883756
• ISBN13: 9781857883756
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: Nicholas Brealey Publishing
• Length: 342 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 4.8" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Excellent writing, a fine eye for detail, and very witty!

Mole is an excellent writer with a fine eye for detail and a very nice sense of humor. His observations capture the essence of Greek village culture with very funny descriptions of the locals, and particularly their conversations. He keys in on the rampant individuality of the Greeks in a warm-hearted way. He is really good at writing dialogue, athough with the normal problem of trying to convey Greeks speaking broken English and Anglos speaking very broken Greek. But he does manage to pull it off! A light-hearted, funny journey through Greek village life! Reviewed by David Lundberg, author of Olympic Wandering: Time Travel Through Greece

Laughed until I cried!

If you liked reading Peter Mayle's stories of life in Provence, then you'll adore John Mole's story of Greek life on the island of Evia. Having lived in Greece for 2 years back in the late 1970's, this book brought me right back - I could feel the sun on my shoulders, taste the souvlakia and hear the bells around the necks of the sheep and goats as they ambled past my window. This was a book I could NOT put down once I started. I read it non stop on a recent flight and am sure I got some strange looks as I doubled over in laughter many times, stopping only long enough to wipe the tears rolling down my face - pure enjoyment!

It doesn't get better than this!

This is a tale of a man's dreams and his life's journey in a Greek village. A story you will devour while you fall in love with Greece. It possesses the rare magic of cultural accuracy, abundant warmth and real understanding of the Greek culture, past and present. It touches your heart with characters you will not soon forget. Profound and superbly imaginative, this book captures the spirit of Greeks and their love for life. Take it from a real Greek, this is not one to pass by. Bravo, John Mole! Well done!

Sheer madness on Evia

The best thing about this book is that it is extraordinarily funny, but it has lots of other virtues too. The Brit author/narrator buys (in a drunken stupor, of course) an old goat shed from a wily local with the intention of turning it into a house for himself and his family. After much work and disappointments major and minor it becomes a nice little house, but all the twists and turns of getting it completed are incredibly conmplicated and somtimes approach the Kafkaesque. Along the way we get to know all manner of Greek people, most of whom are lovable but a few are rascals. Both types are entertaining. The author's wife and children have to put up with a lot so he can carry out his insane plans but they keep their cool and things work out nicely. One day at a time (and plenty of booze) seems to be the rule of thumb.

A heartwarming story of realizing one's dream

It's All Greek To Me! is the memoir of an Englishman who came to call Greece, and has lived there for thirty years. He and his family shared a dream of daily life in Greek paradise, and at the urging of a persuasive local, they purchased a little place on the hillside with no water, no electricity, no roof, no floor, no doors, and no windows. From this they created a place to call home in timeless rural Greece, and learned to share the culture and daily life of the local villagers that were their neighbors. A heartwarming story of realizing one's dream and sharing it together, as well as just enjoying the ups and downs of daily life in a peaceful land.