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Cypria

A Journey to the Heart of Cyprus

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Cypria

By: Alex Christofi
Narrated by: Alex Christofi
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About this listen

 Bloomsbury presents Cypria: A Journey to the Heart of the Mediterranean, written and read by Alex Christofi

SHORTLISTED FOR THE ANGLO-HELLENIC LEAGUE RUNCIMAN AWARD 2025

"A brilliant exploration of Cyprus’s long history of cultural resilience. Superbly composed." -- Guardian

One of National Geographic's Summer Reads 2024

Think of a place where you can stand at the intersection of Christian and Arab cultures, at the crossroads of the British, Ottoman, Byzantine, Roman and Egyptian empires; a place marked by the struggle between fascism and communism and where the capital city is divided in half as a result of bloody conflict; where the ancient olive trees of Homer's time exist alongside the undersea cables which link up the world's internet.

In Cypria, named after a lost Cypriot epic which was the prequel to The Odyssey, British Cypriot writer Alex Christofi writes a deeply personal, lyrical history of the island of Cyprus, from the era of goddesses and mythical beasts to the present day.

This sprawling, evocative and poetic book begins with the legend of the cyclops and the storytelling at the heart of the Mediterranean culture. Christofi travels to salt lakes, crusader castles, mosques and the eerie town deserted at the start of the 1974 war. He retells the particularly bloody history of Cyprus during the twentieth century and considers his own identity as traveler and returner, as Odysseus was.

Written in sensitive, witty and beautifully rendered prose, with a novelist's flair and eye for detail, Cypria combines the political, cultural and geographical history of Cyprus with reflections on time, place and belonging.©2024 Alex Christofi (P)2024 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc Ancient Europe Greece Middle East Imperialism War Middle Ages Witty Ottoman Empire Africa Military Crusade Ancient Greece Iran
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Most relevant
Learning the history of my roots and how so much of it has been shaped by non natives. absolutely fascinating and heartbreaking in equal measure

An honest and objective account of Cypriot history

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I experienced with Alex Christofi the best narration of the history of Cyprus!!!so accurate so true so we'll said!!! congratulations Alex(I feel you as my friend) I already talking for your book with my Cypriot friends here in Cyprus. I believe that is a must to translate in greek language so will be a book for all of us to know the history of our lovely island from your writing!!!Thank you so much!!!!!!

magnificent!!!

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I have visited Cyprus many times and as I was visiting for a month this time I really wanted to get a grip on the history the culture the troubles and Cyprus today. This book did everything and more giving me the deep insight I was looking for along with things to research and things to visit always an item of conversation each evening as I progressed through the world of the writing.
Loved every single minute.

Understanding Cyprus

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Well researched, insightful, heartfelt, profound and beautifully written as well as daring and honest. Thank you.

Grateful for this rich & profound book

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Apart from its historic sites, i haven’t really been that interested in Cyprus. However, thanks to this book, I want to learn more about this fascinating country.

Enjoyed

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