Wild Abandon

After growing up in a village in the Pennines, Jennifer Barclay studied Ancient Greek at grammar school and English at Oxford. She then lived for a year in Athens and has travelled widely in the Greek islands, settling on Tilos, a small island in the Dodecanese, in 2011 to work from home and write. She now lives surrounded by hills and the sea, travelling often to other islands with her dog, Lisa. She has written about her life in Greece in her books Falling in Honey and An Octopus in my Ouzo, and in publications including The Times, Metro, The Daily Mail and Psychologies. She has appeared on Greek television and been interviewed across Greek media, and given talks to the Scottish Hellenic Society. www.octopus-in-my-ouzo.blogspot.com

"A vivid and intoxicating account of these beautiful islands" - Victoria Hislop."Jennifer Barclay takes the reader on a delightful serendipitous journey along paths less well trodden in the Dodecanese. She is an engaging travelling companion whose knowledge of and affection for the islands she holds dear shines through. Wild Abandon is a must read for anyone who loves the Greek Islands."Richard Clark, author of The Lost Lyra and The Greek Islands Notebook."I loved it, it's a magical book; and so great to be taken beyond the tourist enclaves by someone who knows these islands and their history so well. Barclay travels and writes with wonderful energy, affection and honesty and I was transported by to the dusty tracks and into the cool waves with her and her dog Lisa. She travels with a brave freedom that so many of us will envy - a three-day journey to one island turning into a year and a half - and this allows her to dig beneath the surface and tell us the stories, the real stories, of these out-of-the-way places that take time to emerge. Highly recommended... " - Iain Campbell, author From the Lion's Mouth"(Jennifer Barclay's) solitary wanderings, her constant contact with nature. and her attachment to simplicity and freedom render her book exceptionally timely." - Greece Is magazine"Adored this absolute gem of a book. I dare you to read it and not immediately want to move to Greece."Charlie Carroll, author of 'The Friendship Highway and The Lip'"This is a beautiful and well researched book documenting in superb detail the rugged charm, changing landscape, and the tumultuous history of the Dodecanese islands. You can almost smell the wild oregano and taste the saganaki cheese. This is a must read for anyone visiting the area, and for anyone interested in modern Greek history."Atulya K Bingham, The Mud Home blog

• CONTENTSIntroduction Ghosts and Goats: Tilos The Maker and Breaker of Fortunes: Nisyros Faith in Water: Kos Gold in the Sea: Kalymnos Bee Windows and Burning Rocks: Astypalea When the Bird Flies: Rhodes Bridge of Light: Kastellorizo Clouds over Olympos: Karpathos No More than Stories: Kasos Roads to Nowhere: Halki Enough: Arki Refuge: Tilos Dodecanese History: Some Key Dates Resources and Further Reading What We Leave Behind