Irresistibly captivating - MARIE CLAIRE GREECE

Significant - VICTORIA HISLOP

Extremely well-conceived - PAUL CARTLEDGE

A massive bestseller in Greece, this is a bold, humorous retelling of the history of Ancient Greece by a rising star in archaeology.

Two strangers meet in a closed elevator. One is an archaeologist, the other is not. A simple question, "What do you do?", becomes the starting point for a dialogue that weaves a fascinating story.

Archaeologist Theodoros Papakostas takes us on a spectacularly iconoclastic and extraordinarily absorbing journey through ancient Greece, from its beginnings in prehistory to its end. Admiring the remarkable moments of history as well as the more everyday ones, Papakostas introduces the reader to countless fascinating stories about the cradle of Western civilization – many of which overturn accepted knowledge about the empire as well as archaeology itself.

Along the way, he answers questions such as: What should a Minoan princess pack for a trip to Egypt? How did a romantic choreography lead to the birth of Democracy? Why does Heraclitus suggest that Homer should be slapped?

A brief tour of three millennia of Greek history, How to Fit All of Ancient Greece into an Elevator is an unforgettable love letter to the treasures we have inherited from the ancient world, as well as to those who have helped us uncover them.

Pages: 288, Dimensions: 13.5x13.5cm