Greece: Journeys to the Gods

"Greece is a spirit, not a place," says a street musician in this insightful documentary from the 13-episode The Greatest Journeys on Earth series, aimed at both armchair tourists and amateur historians. A traditional repository for numerous influences in art, commerce, and philosophy, Greece has evolved into a live-and-let-live society. Having endured many a war, the country has always quickly assimilated cultural influences from invaders and refugees, leading to renaissance periods such as the one (almost 3,000 years ago) that gave rise to democracy, city-states, and theatre. Combining scenic location footage, dramatic reenactments, and good narration, Greece: Journeys to the Gods examines Hellenic culture (especially the transformation of pottery into a high art form), the history of Crete (including the Minoan civilization, and the importance of olive oil production to Crete's identity), scientific efforts to preserve precious marble antiquities from acid rain, and the country's fascinating historical embrace of both paganism and Christianity. Sure to be a very popular title with both travel and history buffs, this is definitely recommended. [Note: other titles in the series include Canada: Journeys Through the Rockies, Peru: Journeys to the Golden Cities, and Spain: Journeys Through the Land of the Builders.] Aud: H, C, P. (T. Keogh)