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L’été grec : une Grece quotidienne de 4 000 ans
C'est sous les portiques de l'Agora d'Athènes qu'on aimerait lire ou entendre L'Été grec , témoignage passionné, approche vivante de la Grèce, chronique heureuse de vingt années d'amour avec une terre, un peuple et une histoire.
Toutes les Grèce(s) sont contenues ici : celle d'Hésiode et de Sophocle, celle des hymnes byzantins et des chants médiévaux de Digénis, celle des mémoires de Makryannis et des kleftika, ces chants épiques de la guerre d'Indépendance, et celle des poètes et des écrivains d'aujourd'hui.
Il fallait bien ces vingt années de mémoire grecque pour que cette terre si visitée retrouve enfin son vrai visage et nous révèle en sa vie quotidienne, ses gestes, sa langue et ses passions, le fil secret qui relie Eschyle à Séféris, Homère à Elytis, et Pindare à Ritsos.
Mais le plus rare peut-être en ce beau livre où passe un souffle libertaire est que l'érudition de l'auteur n'ait en rien entamé l'étonnement, la jeunesse et l'acuité de son regard.
Toutes les Grèce(s) sont contenues ici : celle d'Hésiode et de Sophocle, celle des hymnes byzantins et des chants médiévaux de Digénis, celle des mémoires de Makryannis et des kleftika, ces chants épiques de la guerre d'Indépendance, et celle des poètes et des écrivains d'aujourd'hui.
Il fallait bien ces vingt années de mémoire grecque pour que cette terre si visitée retrouve enfin son vrai visage et nous révèle en sa vie quotidienne, ses gestes, sa langue et ses passions, le fil secret qui relie Eschyle à Séféris, Homère à Elytis, et Pindare à Ritsos.
Mais le plus rare peut-être en ce beau livre où passe un souffle libertaire est que l'érudition de l'auteur n'ait en rien entamé l'étonnement, la jeunesse et l'acuité de son regard.
445 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
13 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
Jacques Lacarrière
106 books10 followersFrench writer. He studied moral philosophy, classical literature, and Hindu philosophy and literature. Professionally, he was known as a prominent critic, journalist, and essayist.
A passionate admirer of ancient Greece and its mythology, Lacarrière wrote about it extensively. His essay L'été grec (Greek Summer) was an immense popular success. His classical works Maria of Egypt and Dictionnaire amoureux de la Grèce (Dictionary for one who loves Greece) were also successes.
Of interest to ethnographers and ecologists is his Chemin faisant: Mille kilomètres à pied à travers la France 1974, (On the way: One thousand kilometers by foot across France). It was based on his walking across France in 1971, when he kept to small roads and byways, stopping at villages. Beginning in August, he traveled from Saverne in the Vosges, reaching Leucate in November, which is located in the Corbières. It was reprinted by Fayard in 1997 with a postscript entitled "Memory of roads," and addition of selected letters from readers. It was released again in 2014, again by Fayard.
Lacarrière's 1973 literary essay, Les Gnostiques, is well respected for its insights into the early Christian religious movement of Gnosticism. The writer had met English author Lawrence Durrell in 1971, who had been studying some Gnostic texts since the early 1940s. Durrell featured Gnosticism as a plot element in the novels of his The Avignon Quintet (1974 to 1985). He also wrote a "Foreword" to the 1974 English translation of Lacarrière's essay.
For the whole of his work, in 1991 Lacarrière was awarded le Grand Prix de l'Académie française (the Great Prize of the French Academy).
He died in Paris on 17 September 2005, following complications from orthopedic surgery. His body was cremated and his ashes scattered in Greece, in the waters off the island of Spetses.
A passionate admirer of ancient Greece and its mythology, Lacarrière wrote about it extensively. His essay L'été grec (Greek Summer) was an immense popular success. His classical works Maria of Egypt and Dictionnaire amoureux de la Grèce (Dictionary for one who loves Greece) were also successes.
Of interest to ethnographers and ecologists is his Chemin faisant: Mille kilomètres à pied à travers la France 1974, (On the way: One thousand kilometers by foot across France). It was based on his walking across France in 1971, when he kept to small roads and byways, stopping at villages. Beginning in August, he traveled from Saverne in the Vosges, reaching Leucate in November, which is located in the Corbières. It was reprinted by Fayard in 1997 with a postscript entitled "Memory of roads," and addition of selected letters from readers. It was released again in 2014, again by Fayard.
Lacarrière's 1973 literary essay, Les Gnostiques, is well respected for its insights into the early Christian religious movement of Gnosticism. The writer had met English author Lawrence Durrell in 1971, who had been studying some Gnostic texts since the early 1940s. Durrell featured Gnosticism as a plot element in the novels of his The Avignon Quintet (1974 to 1985). He also wrote a "Foreword" to the 1974 English translation of Lacarrière's essay.
For the whole of his work, in 1991 Lacarrière was awarded le Grand Prix de l'Académie française (the Great Prize of the French Academy).
He died in Paris on 17 September 2005, following complications from orthopedic surgery. His body was cremated and his ashes scattered in Greece, in the waters off the island of Spetses.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 29, 2020
My first contact with Lacarriere was through his excellent essay about Gnostics. When i saw this book on Book fair i without a minute of thinking decided to take it, Lacarriere plus a book about one of my favorite countries and country from which i have beautiful memories from my childhood and later travels and holidays. This is beautiful book, takes you in some different Greece in different time. It is spanning from 50s to 70s decade and it is utterly interesting. From Athos, ancient monasteries to the not so much known islands and bigger towns. You can really feel the Greece all this people who is mentioning on his journeys, you can imagine how they look, it is not just an ordinary travel book, Lacarriere puts a lot of history details and also philosophical thoughts. I really enjoyed reading this fantastic book and i recommend to anyone who loves Greece to read it.
My grade 5/5
My grade 5/5
September 21, 2024
Je suis heureuse de lire un livre qui me fait voyager alors même que je suis en voyage
April 23, 2025
Καταγραφή των ταξιδιών που έκανε ο Jacques Lacarrière στην Ελλάδα από το 1947 έως τη δικτατορία των συνταγματαρχών το 1967, επισκεπτόμενος τα Μετέωρα, τον Άθω, την Κρήτη και πολλά νησιά του Αιγαίου όπως η Πάτμος, τα Ψαρά και η Χίος, μια περιγραφή της Ελλάδας χωρίς καθόλου τουρίστες καθώς σε πολλά μέρη ήταν ο πρώτος ξένος που έβλεπαν οι ντόπιοι μετά τον πόλεμο, εμπλουτισμένο με αναφορές στην ιστορία της, την αρχαιότητα και διάφορες φιλοσοφικές αναζητήσεις του συγγραφέα που σε στιγμές με κούρασαν λίγο. Νομίζω θα προτιμούσα στη θέση τους περισσότερες περιγραφές από αυτή τη χαμένη Ελλάδα και τους ανθρώπους της.
August 25, 2018
Μοναδικό, ασύλληπτο, η Ελλάδα με τις μυρωδιές και τις εικόνες των μέσων του 20ου αιώνα μέσα από τη μαγική γραφή και τις αισθήσεις του σπουδαίου ελληνιστή Ζακ Λακαριέρ. Σπουδαίο βιβλίο!
October 5, 2019
Greece before tourism. For the people that love Greece.
December 17, 2022
El mejor libro de viajes que haya leído nunca.
March 11, 2013
Excellent book again from Lacarriere..about GREECE between centuries..4000..It should be read it, because it is written beyond all prejudices..and with lot of love..One long journey, depicted with colors, emotions, sounds, smell of Greece. It's begin on Metheora, trough the month Athos and..all about what we feel while we are standing under the walls of Micenea,...all this monuments. How it locks to write on greek, letters which reminds you on something..Beautiful book..
January 28, 2016
Fabuleux. Un témoignage sur la Grèce de 1950 et 1970 (et en filigrane la Grèce antique). L'auteur a organisé ses récits de voyage par lieux donc on finit sa lecture avec une idée plus précise de la géographie de la Grèce. J'ai beaucoup appris et c'était vraiment très bien écrit.
August 20, 2021
Čitajući ovu knjigu pomislila sam kako bi trebalo da bude jedna od onih iz edicije „Rečnik zaljubljenika u…“, a onda sam pronašla da „Rečnik zaljubljenika u Grčku“ postoji i da je njen autor upravo Žak Karijer. Nimalo slučajno! Five stars!
February 13, 2022
an absolute marvel if you are interested in Greek culture and History. He has the gift to make landscapes alive.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews