 Laughing so hard I dropped the book..
Well, I haven't even finished the book and can't wait to recommend it as a brilliant insight into life in Greece and that wonderful period in it's recent history (anything less thatn 200 years counts as recent in the Greek perspective). Thanks, Tom for bringing to light what makes us expats besotted with our luck in living here. I found so much to smile about on nearly every page...You have captured the sixties in Greece with such affection and sharp observation that I can only try to hide my admiration enough to keep the evil eye from causing even more havoc in this blessed terrain.
 Very enjoyable read
The writer has a very straightforward style that I truly enjoyed. The fact that this was a true story kept my interest and made me put the Greek Isles high on the list of places to visit in the next few years.
The author's sense of adventure and risk taking appeals to me.
At the end of this book, I felt that i had acquired a good bit of knowledge of the physical aspects of the islands and even more so about the culture.
A bittersweet summer on the Isle of Patmos
You laugh and then you cry when you read this bittersweet memoir. The Summer of my Greek Taverna is a funny, poignant saga of a naive American, whose Greek friend, Theologos, offers him a "summer partnership" in The Beautiful Helen Taverna, located on the small Aegean Island of Patmos. Although his wife and Greek friends caution him to be aware of "Greeks bearing gifts," Stone jumps at the offer. His life is never the same, arriving home at night, at three or four in the morning, completely spent, with no time for sex or even a cuddle, and up at dawn to start another day at the restaurant, only to have his partner swindle him of the profits.
Stone captures the essense of the Greek people and writes lovingly of them, the good ones and the not-so-good ones. My Taverna is reminiscent of many excellent books of American expatriates living in foreign countries, all with their own unique experiences. Memoirs of an American Housewife in Japan is one of many. In spite of his trials and tribulations, Tom Stone survives his ordeal and returns to the states. He opens his own successful restaurant in Southern California. At the end the book, Stone lists "The Menu of the Beautiful Helen," with 20 recipes of his favorite Greek dishes in full detail. If the story doesn't stimulate you, the recipes will. A good read, bon appetit. Yassou.
breath of fresh air
Reading these little expat memoirs used to be a pleasure, but now there are so many self-congratulatory accounts that they've long since begun to pall. Greek Taverna is a welcome exception. Stone manages to convey the essence of Greek island life, geography, and ambience without attempting to convince the reader that life in those parts is idyllic and carefree. Indeed, Tom and his family encounter as many problems and stumbling blocks as they might have in NYC, as well as enjoying the beauty and simplicity (all is relative). Reading his experiences is as refreshing as a dip in the Aegean. Bravo to Tom Stone for his honesty, sense of humor, and willingness to remain in Greece despite the bursting of the bubble of his dream.
Stone's book on Greece is right on target in every way
As a Greek-American who was born, and lives in the US, but also lived in Greece for 12 years, I am always very interested in reading the experiences of expatriates, especially those from the US. I took some time to read through the other reviews here, especially focusing on the ones with negative things to say. I must say this, because I like to keep my reviews brief: Tom Stone did not produce the perfect book here, nor do I think we should expect that from him---what he did do was absolutely capture both the Greek mentality and spirit, the beauty of the land and its culture, and the very difficult divide in which foreigners who live in Greece full-time find themselves. I highly recommend this book not just for Greek diaspora who want to wax nostalgic of the mother country, but for ANY American heading over for a visit, if not a longer stay. I recently recommended this book to two proteges of mine who were headed to Greece for a short stay, and a semester abroad respectively, and both told me upon their returns that it was a priceless learning tool which enhanced their visits, as well as a very enjoyable read. I cant think of any higher recommendation than that of didacticism and real world, in-country experience. Well done, Mr Stone!
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