163 - Fredrika Bremer: Greece and the Greeks. The Narrative of a winter Residence and summer travel in Greece and its Islands. London, 1863

Fredrika Bremer: Greece and the Greeks. The Narrative of a winter Residence and summer travel in Greece and its Islands. London, 1863 First edition in English after the original account in Swedish, in 8vo, complete in two volumes, contemporary full cloth slightly dusty, spines sunned, text clean and bright, overall in very good condition. The renowned Swedish novelist and feminist pioneer Fredrika Bremer (1801-1865) traveled in Greece in mid 19th century. Bremer was already a world-famous writer when she arrived in Greece in 1859, she was an intellectual humanitarian and stayed in Greece for two years, becoming a close friend of King Otto and Queen Amalia. Bremer provides an intimate look at the Greek Royal Court just before the revolution of 1862 that led to Otto's ousting. She describes the Queen's efforts to create the National Garden in Athens and the king's struggle to govern a restless nation. True to her feminist roots, she meticulously documented the condition of Greek women. She visited schools, like the Arsakeion and discussed the education of girls. Her travels to Syros, Santorini, and Mykonos are among the most vivid of the era. She captures the maritime energy of the Cyclades, which were then the commercial heart of the young kingdom. She very accurately observes the tension between the fustanella-wearing veterans of the War of Independence and the French-dressed youth of Athens. A fine and very rare description of Athens and Greece.