Mykonos (portrait Of A Vanished Era)

By (author) McCabe Robert A.
Short description/annotation
Experience the unspoiled beauty and traditional culture of this legendary Greek island, as it was in the late 1950s.
Description
There are hundreds of Greek islands. Why did Mykonos become, in just a few decades, one of the world’s top vacation spots? Part of the answer can be found in these remarkable images, which show the natural beauty and traditional island culture that initially attracted artists, writers, and celebrities like Jackie Kennedy. These photographs, taken in 1955 and 1957 - many for National Geographic - re-create a daylong visit to Mykonos in the days before cars, running water, and electricity. We disembark in the Old Harbor and wander the picturesque streets of Chora (the main town), watching the townspeople at their daily tasks. We visit St. Panteleimon Monastery on a festival day, and take a caïque (a traditional wooden boat) to see the ruins on the neighbouring island of Delos. Every photograph is reproduced as a full-page tritone of surpassing quality, and accompanied by a detailed caption. This book will fascinate modern-day visitors to Mykonos, as well as those who trace their roots to the Greek islands.

Review quote
This gorgeously photographed compilation offers a window into how the Greek island of Mykonos looked before it became a popular tourist destination. In more than 80 photos taken between 1955 and 1957, National Geographic photographer McCabe shows villagers riding donkeys rather than the now ubiquitous motorbikes and towns with nary a power line. There are several enchanting photos capturing daily life on the island''s people, among them a woman hanging her laundry to dry at Saint Anna''s beach, a man selling fresh figs, and children fishing at the Old Port. McCabe also includes photographs illustrating the island''s festival culture, depicting children lighting candles in a monastery on a saint''s feast day, a group of people dancing the kalamatianos folk dance, and a man playing the tsambourina, the Mykonos version of bagpipes. McCabe''s captions provide fascinating facts about Mykonos ("The man in the black hat looking down is... the town crier. Before loudspeakers, telephones and email, he would go through Chora announcing important news") and encourage viewers to look closely at the details ("They are eating from aluminum plates on a tablecloth of newspapers"). This is a wonderful visual tribute to a bygone era in Greek culture. -Publishers Weekly
Biographical note
Robert A. McCabe was born in Chicago in 1934. He started taking photographs in 1939 with a Kodak Brownie given to him by his father, who published a tabloid newspaper in New York. In 1957, he photographed widely in the Cyclades at the request of the National Geographic Magazine, and he continues to photograph in Greece today. His fifteen published books encompass Greece, Cuba, China, Antarctica, and Central Park, and his forthcoming projects include The Last Monk of the Strofades, The Greeks and Their Seas, Santorini Before the Earthquake, Kasos 1965, A Portrait of Patmos, and The Waterways of France. He believes that photography is the perfect medium for what he calls poetic realism.

Promotional headline
Pre-pub promotional materials, including advance copies and PDF excerpts Coverage in national print and online publications, with a focus on travel and lifestyle Giveaways on Facebook and Instagram Targeted online advertising