John Freely
American physicist, educator and prolific author best known for books on the history and travel of Istanbul, Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean; long-time resident and teacher in Istanbul.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
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1. El Mundo De Homero
A lively exploration of the historical, geographical and cultural background of the Homeric epics that combines archaeological evidence, travel observation and literary analysis to reconstruct the Late Bronze Age Mediterranean world behind the Iliad and the Odyssey. It maps the landscapes, cities and sea routes of the eastern Aegean, discusses Mycenaean civilization and Troy, and explains how oral-poetic traditions, material culture and seafaring life shaped the stories and characters we know. The narrative shows how the epics preserve memories of real social practices—kingship, warfare, hospitality and trade—while tracing how Homeric imagery was remembered and reinterpreted through later centuries.