Breath of Madness, on the isle of Skopelos an ancient rite endures
Isabel Dempsey

The unique Carnival customs of Skopelos are among the most ancient, and yet they are little known outside this island. What are the origins of these strange ceremonies and what do they mean to the islanders who practice them?

Through a fusion of scholarly research and vivid imagery, Isabel Dempsey captures the color and vitality of Carnival in Skopelos while uncovering the ancient origins and symbolic meaning of this springtime ritual. While documenting the current tradition, she has painstakingly researched its historic past to reveal, for the first time, the secrets of this fascinating folk custom. This is a book that illuminates and preserves an important facet of Greek folk culture.

Breath of Madness, on the isle of Skopelos an ancient rite endures is a significant addition to the published work on the history and folklore of the Greek islands.

Richly illustrated, with color photographs that convey the lively character of Carnival and archival images that evoke a world that has all but vanished, photographs donated by art museums, photographers and gathered from archives and family collections, this book traces the fascinating changing history of a Hellenic ritual from ancient times through the present day.

Reviews:

"This fascinating book brings to light the little-known and multifaceted Skopelitan Carnival, whose rituals, profound expressions of a collective memory, have survived in a continuous tradition from our ancient past." Dr. Argiroula Doulgeri-Intzesiloglou, Director of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities Department, Volos, Greece.

"A gorgeous book; the festivities, the verses, the images are mesmerising! I am fascinated with the exuberance and colour that bring this festival to life. I really enjoyed the carnivalesque voyage!" Dr. Agapi Amanatidis, Department of Anthropology, University of Adelaide, Australia.

Sotos Walking Guide
Heather Parsons

Local beauty spots & historical places of interest. Skopelos & Glossa.

This book has been writen for those who wish to see more of the island than just the beaches. Walking is by far the easiest and safest way to sight-see and can be done at your own pass and leisure.

Gates of the Wind - Michael Carroll

About the book

Greek fishermen call the Northern Sporades "the Gates of the Wind" and Michael Carroll in his 30 foot sailing boat Astarte - designed and built in England to his own specifications, part Cornish fishing boat, part Greek caique - moved about amongst them looking for a perfect anchorage only to find that this search became a quite different kind of quest. His chance meeting and subsequent friendship with the versatile Greek, Vangeli, on the island of Skopelos, led to a far more ambitious plan to buy a piece of land. It also led to the building of a house on the shores of the remote cove of Panormos - the perfect anchorage - once the site of an ancient city.

The author's gradual integration with the people of the island; his dramatic and amusing part in involvement in the life of the island as it becomes his home make this a most unusual book about Greece. With the acquisition of the land comes the realization of what means to have roots and to be an islander.

The author writes vividly of the other islands and their inhabitants; of taking part in a goat hunt, laying up Astarte for the winter and the actual building of the house. His first book from a Persian Teahouse was an account of Travel. In this book he is not so much a traveler as one who has arrived.

About the Author

Michael Carroll was born in England in 1935 being of Irish, Scottish and English extraction. His father's family lived in Yoghal, Country Cork. He has educated at Harrow and Cambridge but spent much of his early life in India where his father was administrator of a Feudatory State. While at Cambridge he traveled widely on the continent during his vacations. He made one full-scale journey in Persia, which resulted in his book From a Persian Tea-House. He is married with one child.

ISBN: 960-8480-45-0
Printed and bound in Greece by Eftstathiadis Group S.A

Skopelos Guide to the island
Vassilis Tomanas

A MAP OF THE ISLAND
A MAP OF THE TOWN
THROUGH THE LANES OF SKOPELOS TOWN
THE BEACHES
SHORT WALKS AND EXCURSIONS
INTO THE INLAND OF THE ISLAND
SOME FOLKLORE
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE ISLAND
USEFUL INFORMATION
A GLOSSARY

ISBN : 960-848C-07-8
Nissides Publishing house - Skopelos