The Villa Ariadne [Paperback]

Dilys Powell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2001

An exciting true-life story blending archaeological history, military adventure, romance, and travel.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“… a winning mixture of history and travel memoir.” -- The Wall Street Journal

From the Publisher

Built in 1906, The Villa Ariadne was used as living quarters by the great archaeologist, Sir Arthur Evans, during his excavations of Knossos, the fabled palace of King Minos on the island of Crete. Donated by Evans to the British Archaeological School in Athens, the Villa was home to many dashing young scholars during the 1920s and 30s; among them, John Pendlebury, who became a local legend thanks to his selfless participation in the defense of Crete when the island was invaded by the Nazis during World War Two. Dilys Powell had come to know the Villa and Pendlebury before the war; many years later she returned to Crete, and it was this trip that led her to trace the story of the Villa, from Evans¹ days, to the Nazi take-over, and on into the postwar years.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: Akadine Pr (September 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888173661
• ISBN-13: 978-1888173666
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #780,307 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Look at Greek Archaeology, April 11, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Villa Ariadue (Hardcover)

A brilliant and somewhat off-beat look at the decades of classicists who stayed at Sir Arthur Evans' house, Villa Ariadne, in Crete, next to the Bronze Age dig Knossos. Dilys Powell's marriage to a young classical archaeologist brought her in contact with Sir Arthur himself and with the numerous archaeologists in his milieu. The chapter on Sir Arthur's Victorian upbringing is perhaps the most interesting of the book. But the death of Powell's husband and World War II plucked Powell from this magical world. After the war, however, she recreated some of the legendary exploits of the classicists who worked for the Greek resistance. A wonderful book for anyone interested in Greek archaeology or who has ever visited Greece.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The greatest work on Crete to date, June 26, 2001

By 

Paul Hochman (Hop Bottom, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Villa Ariadne (Paperback)

Powell's work is a must for any archaeological enthusiest. Written with extreme intelligence and backed with remarkable historical fact, the Villa comes alive within the pages of this brilliant piece of scholarship.