The Golden Step: A Walk Through the Heart of Crete (Armchair Traveller) |
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Christopher Somerville
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Pages: 224 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 1904950973
Pub: Haus Publishing Limited
Pub date: 2007-07-01
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 104218
Reader Reviews:
Breathless in the heart of Crete. (6/6 people found this helpful)
Christopher Somerville's delightfully self-deprecating account takes you with him deep into the gorges and high into the mountain plateaus of that most mysterious and harshly beautiful island. Armed with rudimentary Greek and ebullient good will, delighting in music, fellowship and the absurd, he works his way through to the heart of Crete. Along the way he shares just the right amount of myth, history (ancient and modern), social and political insight and his own inner journey to make this an unforgettable piece of writing.
A Step Beyond the Golden (5/5 people found this helpful)
This is a charming book; full of wit, verve and spirit of place, as the author walks through Crete's mountain ranges in search of his goal: a monastery whose steps appear gold to those of pure spirit. This latter is on Crete's west coast, and to reach it Christopher Somerville has to walk the length of an island, which, whilst only the Mediterranean's 5th largest, is incredibly long and arduous to cross. The Golden Step is an ideal way to get to know the island, as the author interweaves history, anthropology and mythology within, making the walk almost a secondary consideration to a homage of an island he clearly loves. A beautiful looking book, the design is clearly matched by the author's prose, whether attempting to avoid the island's dogs, taking solace in the book of Psalms, or climbing up and falling down mountain sides, as he attempts to complete an odyssey of his own. This is a superb read from one of Britain's foremost travel writers.
Should be titled "Walking with my God in Crete" (5/7 people found this helpful)
A lovely story of a wonderful walk but I do wish he'd left his book of psalms at home. His continual references to the psalms spoil a very entertaining read.
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Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> Health, Family & Lifestyle -> Fitness & Exercise -> General AAS
Books -> Subjects -> Health, Family & Lifestyle -> General AAS
Books -> Subjects -> Sports, Hobbies & Games -> General
Books -> Subjects -> Sports, Hobbies & Games -> Fishing, Birdwatching & Other Outdoor Pursuits -> Active Pursuits -> Walking, Hiking & Trekking
Books -> Subjects -> Sports, Hobbies & Games -> Fishing, Birdwatching & Other Outdoor Pursuits -> Active Pursuits -> General AAS
Books -> Subjects -> Sports, Hobbies & Games -> General AAS
Books -> Subjects -> Travel & Holiday -> Countries & Regions -> Europe -> Greece -> Greek Islands -> Crete
Books -> Subjects -> Travel & Holiday -> Countries & Regions -> Europe -> Greece -> General AAS
Books -> Subjects -> Travel & Holiday -> Countries & Regions -> Europe -> General AAS
Books -> Subjects -> Travel & Holiday -> Atlases & Maps -> Special Interests -> Walking and Hiking
Books -> Subjects -> Travel & Holiday -> General
Books -> Subjects -> Travel & Holiday -> General AAS
Books -> Subjects -> Travel & Holiday -> Guidebook Series -> General AAS
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Age (feature_two_browse-bin)
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Hardcover
Books -> Refinements -> Condition (condition-type)