Product Description

From Morocco to Libya, from Ostia to Surrentum - Caroline Lawrence has travelled widely to give the Roman Mysteries unrivalled authenticity among historical novels. Her research trips have yielded a dazzling array of insights that allow Caroline to vividly re-imagine the ancient world and to bring her characters and stories to life. This book gathers together anecdotes, factual information and advice for children and their families looking to explore exotic locations, as well as offering compelling background to the real world behind the bestselling Roman Mysteries novels.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #107171 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-29
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Review
'Caroline Lawrence is a determined woman, and she may well be the one to get me to go to Rome or Greece. At least, if I ever have the time. Her new guide book From Ostia to Alexandria with Flavia Gemina makes for tempting reading. Despite few photos the book manages to sell Ostia and Greece and North Africa in a way most glossy travel supplements fail to do.' (BOOKWITCH )

About the Author
Caroline Lawrence is American. She lives with her husband in London.

Customer Reviews

not just for kids
I've been a fan of Caroline Lawrence's books for some time now, and they are a wonderful introduction to the Roman world. Because Ms Lawrence does immaculate research, her books teach whilst being fun. Most young people I've introduced them to have loved them, and I keep one handy for light reading - e.g. at airports. This book is particularly good for this as it is both an ancient travel guide, and a personal notebook recording the author's experiences abroad.
By all means get it for your children, but pinch it back once they have gone to bed.

Sign Me Up for the Voyage!
As a librarian who has read many travel books, I have to say that this tie-in with Caroline Lawrence's wonderful Roman Mysteries children's series is very different -- and the most fun!

Caroline Lawrence's enjoyable reminiscences of places she has visited are accompanied with delightful tips and suggested activities for the aspiring young detectrix or detective. Cities and lands to be explored are covered under three sections in the book: Italy, Greece, and North Africa -- with each section easily accessed via a sort of printed thumb index. The book contains several outstanding, full-color photographic illustrations in the center, and at the end both an index and a listing of useful websites to visit.

This book has inspired me to don my apotropaic pendant (if you're wondering what one of those is, read Caroline Lawrence's novel The Colossus of Rhodes) and book passage on the next ship out!

From Ostia to Alexandria
'From Ostia to Alexandria' is one of the best books I have read! And, indeed, it took me one sitting to read it cover to cover. The book contains wonderful extracts from Caroline Lawrence's research notebooks, all the sights, smells and sounds in Italy, Greece and Africa. Each chapter goes deeply into those countries, to places such as Rome but also to Rhodes and Morocco. Each section has 'Twelve Tasks to do around Rome', and so on. They are immensely fun and interesting, including Find the Two-headed Sheep in Tripoli, in Libya and in Rome, Find the Temple of Hercules.
The guide also includes tips for keeping safe when travelling, and amazing photos of areas such as Naples. Caroline Lawrence also describes in her notebook extracts, experiences such as having a massage in Morocco and searching for dolphins in Rhodes.
Altogether, this is a remarkable book that can be read over and over, again and again.