JulieRyanBooks

Booklovers – which Greek island should you visit? Map from Lonely Planet I was looking at my bookshelves when I thought it would be fun to tour Greece taking in the settings of the books.   If you fancy touring the Greek Isles this summer, why not take a journey there with me through fiction? I thought we’d start our journey by stopping off at Crete, one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean and one of my favourites. With its 4000 year history there’s plenty to see and do. More recently, it has gained fame through Victoria Hislop’s book, The Island, which tells the story of Spinalonga, a leper colony just off the coast of Crete. Having visited the South of the island, this is definitely on my list for my next visit. The next book that jumped out at me was ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandalin’ by Louis de Bernieres. Set on Kephalonia during the early days of the Second World War, it’s both a war story and a love story.   Ever since reading the book I’ve had a de...

                                                                            As anyone who knows me will avow, I'm a total bookaholic. I think it must have started in childhood when each Friday as my mother did the supermarket shop, I could be found in the book aisle sneakily reading the first chapter of an Enid Blyton book before deciding which one to buy. Needless to say, I still have this prized collection today. Since then though my insatiable desire for books seems to know no bounds. I have a wall of books as you come into the house and three large bookcases upstairs plus two downstairs and most of my books still haven't been unpacked from the boxes down the cellar yet. It wouldn't be so bad if my husband shared my passion but unfortunately being dyslexic, he doesn't get the same pleasure fro...