The Idiot and the Odyssey: Walking the Mediterranean

By Joel Stratte-McClure
Published by Fast Thinking

When inquisitive American journalist Joel Stratte-McClure decides to walk around the Mediterranean Sea, we're in for an exhilarating adventure. As a 30 year expatriate in France, he explores the coast, countryside and regional cultures - as well as his own mind - with compulsive vigour. Armed with a copy of Homer's Odyssey, he re-opens this great book for us as he ponders life, divorce, Buddhism, alcoholism, the art of trekking and a vast collection of weird, wicked, wonderful people along the way. This is a trip to get into!

"A great book. Concept clearly explained, curiosity quickly alerted, classical mythology very effectively utilized with a clarity that will hold the ignorant as well as the cognoscenti. And light of touch as well as erudite."
- Michael Knipe, Former Foreign Correspondent of The Times of London

"This is the best guide to the Mediterranean since Homer's The Odyssey"
- Princess Beatriz de Orleans Borbón from Spain.

"One of those seductive books that, as you read, slowly insinuates itself into your consciousness and becomes more and more compelling and entrancing."
- Bruce Elder, The Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald.

"'The Idiot and the Odyssey' is such a terrific antidote to the middle age melancholia that if Homer could do a sequel, Odysseus would probably jump ship to join Joel Stratte-McClure's MedTrek instead."
- Craig Unger, Vanity Fair Contributing Editor and author of "The Fall of the House of Bush."

"Described as 'Eat Pray Love' for men, Stratte-McClure's account is entertaining, informative and inspirational."
- Toni Whitman, Booktopia Buzz.

"A dream experience of a lifetime. It's worth every ebullient, blistering step!"
- Tom Moore, Editor-in-Chief, Reader's Digest Australia

About the Author

Joel Stratte-McClure, an American journalist/adventurer who lived in France for over three decades, has been writing about his global trekking and hiking adventures since the 1970s. His work has taken him to over 100 countries and his articles on a variety of subjects have appeared The International Herald Tribune, Time Magazine, The London Times, People Magazine, Who Weekly, Fast Thinking and numerous other publications. He's continuing his trek around the Mediterranean Sea to gather information and anecdotes for the sequel to "The Idiot and the Odyssey."