Below is an easy-to-browse gallery
of books that cater to those who are interested in visiting Greece or learning
more about its ancient past. The majority of descriptions below are by independent
editors. Feel free to purchase these books directly from Amazon.com!
The
Parthenon (Wonders of the World) :
This short, lively history by a Cambridge classicist examines not only the building's
construction in the fifth century B.C. but also its subsequent life as Byzantine
cathedral, Ottoman mosque, and iconic ruin and tourist destination.
Beard
steps adroitly through such controversial matters as the ownership of the Elgin
Marbles, and is happiest when teasing out contradictions in the building's history:
the Parthenon as it appears today is largely the result of the depredations of
Victorian archeologists bent on stripping away anything that was not from Periclean
Athens, and of extensive reconstruction in the nineteen-twenties—the combined
results of which would be unrecognizable to any Athenian of classical times.
Architecture and Meaning on the Athenian Acropolis :
Architecture and Meaning on the Athenian Acropolis focuses on the architectural
complex that is generally considered to be one of the outstanding achievements
of Western civilization. Though the buildings and sculpture of the Acropolis,
erected over the course of the fifth century B.C., have been scrutinized by scholars
for more than a century, Robin Rhodes' sensitive analysis is the first to consider
the ensemble as a whole and to explain how the monuments communicate meaningfully
with one another to form an iconographic narrative. His study also examines the
sculpture and decoration, which were conceived together with the abstract features,
while relating both to the larger issues in Greek architecture and aesthetics.
Greek Architecture, Fifth Edition (The Yale University Press
Pelican History of Art) :
Discussing the development of Greek architecture in the Aegean and other Greek
lands from its earliest beginnings around 3000 BC to the first century BC. The
temples of the Hellenic age are discussed, as are domestic Greek architecture,
town planning, theatres and fortifications.
This revised edition of John Griffiths Pedley's 1993 survey covers 3,000 years
of Greek history with nearly 400 illustrations and an authoritative text that
centers on material culture, especially pottery, statuary, and architecture.
Greek
Art and Archaeology incorporates recent scholarship on matters such as influences
from the Near East and the spread of Greek ideas to other parts of the Mediterranean.
Of special interest is Pedley's building-by-building history of the Parthenon,
including a useful survey of its metopes and friezes. He also offers well-considered
stylistic notes on familiar objects, such as the Laocoön group and the Nike
of Samothrace.
A spectacularly illustrated and complete survey of ancient Greek temples, combined
with an up-to-date archaeological and historical introduction. The great colonnaded
temples of the ancient Greeks are the most impressive of all the monuments left
behind by Greek civilization. As feats of design and construction they have never
been surpassed, and the best-preserved examples—such as the Parthenon in
Athens—still excite wonder and admiration...
This book is the first
to tell the complete story, with hundreds of accompanying illustrations, from
their debated origins in the Greek dark ages to their transformation at the end
of antiquity. It also includes for the first time in English a gazetteer of all
the known colonnaded temples of the ancient Greeks.
Summarizing the latest
thinking on Greek temples, Tony Spawforth brings new discoveries to light and
discusses not only the architecture but also the historical and cultural context
of these unique buildings. The result is an authoritative source book and a compelling
guide for scholars, students, and travelers, and for anyone with a desire to know
more about the ancient world. 350 illustrations, 130 in color.
"delightful, readable, and scholarly. The volume is profusely and well illustrated,
each art example is clearly labelled and dated, and superb supplementary references
for illustrations and supplementary suggestions for further reading are added
to complete the study." Choice.
This short, lively history by a Cambridge classicist examines not only the building's
construction in the fifth century B.C. but also its subsequent life as Byzantine
cathedral, Ottoman mosque, and iconic ruin and tourist destination. 
Architecture and Meaning on the Athenian Acropolis focuses on the architectural
complex that is generally considered to be one of the outstanding achievements
of Western civilization. Though the buildings and sculpture of the Acropolis,
erected over the course of the fifth century B.C., have been scrutinized by scholars
for more than a century, Robin Rhodes' sensitive analysis is the first to consider
the ensemble as a whole and to explain how the monuments communicate meaningfully
with one another to form an iconographic narrative. His study also examines the
sculpture and decoration, which were conceived together with the abstract features,
while relating both to the larger issues in Greek architecture and aesthetics.
Discussing the development of Greek architecture in the Aegean and other Greek
lands from its earliest beginnings around 3000 BC to the first century BC. The
temples of the Hellenic age are discussed, as are domestic Greek architecture,
town planning, theatres and fortifications. 
This revised edition of John Griffiths Pedley's 1993 survey covers 3,000 years
of Greek history with nearly 400 illustrations and an authoritative text that
centers on material culture, especially pottery, statuary, and architecture. 
A spectacularly illustrated and complete survey of ancient Greek temples, combined
with an up-to-date archaeological and historical introduction. The great colonnaded
temples of the ancient Greeks are the most impressive of all the monuments left
behind by Greek civilization. As feats of design and construction they have never
been surpassed, and the best-preserved examples—such as the Parthenon in
Athens—still excite wonder and admiration... 
"delightful, readable, and scholarly. The volume is profusely and well illustrated,
each art example is clearly labelled and dated, and superb supplementary references
for illustrations and supplementary suggestions for further reading are added
to complete the study." Choice.
