Cantos de sirena
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- Create Date：2022-06-12 08:41:41
- Update Date：2025-09-24
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- Author：Charmian Clift
- ISBN：8412419944
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Summary
La historia de una pareja de escritores que lo dejaron todo para lanzarse a la vida bohemia en una pequeña isla griega。
Para Charmian Clift， Grecia era la Tierra Prometida。 En 1954， ella y su marido， el famoso reportero George Johnston， abandonaron el gris Londres de posguerra y partieron hacia el mar Egeo con dos máquinas de escribir y dos hijos pequeños。 Planeaban pasar allí un año， pero acabarían quedándose una década。 Cantos de sirena es la crónica de su accidentada aclimatación a Kálimnos， una pequeña isla poblada por taciturnos pescadores de esponjas y mujeres fuertes y supersticiosas。 En sus páginas， llenas de personajes inolvidables —con su fiel escudero local， Manolis， y su inflexible asistenta doméstica， Sevasti， a la cabeza— y paisajes de una belleza casi milagrosa， la perplejidad ante una sociedad primitiva y patriarcal convive con el descubrimiento de un modo de vida puro， sencillo y libre， previo a la invasión del turismo de masas。
Estas memorias， escritas desde el punto de vista de una mujer de treinta y un años que registra con inteligencia， humor y calidez los detalles íntimos de su vida cotidiana y las costumbres de un mundo en vías de extinción， apenas recibieron atención al publicarse en 1956。 Con el paso del tiempo， Cantos de sirena se ha convertido en un clásico de la literatura de viajes y del género autobiográfico， y nos permite descubrir a una de las escritoras más talentosas y vitalistas del siglo pasado。
Para Charmian Clift， Grecia era la Tierra Prometida。 En 1954， ella y su marido， el famoso reportero George Johnston， abandonaron el gris Londres de posguerra y partieron hacia el mar Egeo con dos máquinas de escribir y dos hijos pequeños。 Planeaban pasar allí un año， pero acabarían quedándose una década。 Cantos de sirena es la crónica de su accidentada aclimatación a Kálimnos， una pequeña isla poblada por taciturnos pescadores de esponjas y mujeres fuertes y supersticiosas。 En sus páginas， llenas de personajes inolvidables —con su fiel escudero local， Manolis， y su inflexible asistenta doméstica， Sevasti， a la cabeza— y paisajes de una belleza casi milagrosa， la perplejidad ante una sociedad primitiva y patriarcal convive con el descubrimiento de un modo de vida puro， sencillo y libre， previo a la invasión del turismo de masas。
Estas memorias， escritas desde el punto de vista de una mujer de treinta y un años que registra con inteligencia， humor y calidez los detalles íntimos de su vida cotidiana y las costumbres de un mundo en vías de extinción， apenas recibieron atención al publicarse en 1956。 Con el paso del tiempo， Cantos de sirena se ha convertido en un clásico de la literatura de viajes y del género autobiográfico， y nos permite descubrir a una de las escritoras más talentosas y vitalistas del siglo pasado。
Reviews
Tresillian
，
This was a totally captivating read that really captures the easy-going beauty of island life with a joyously dry humour thrown in for added entertainment。
Robert Watson
，
Captures wonderfully the spirit and dignity of the people of Kalymnos。 Refreshing in that there was so little about the Johnsons themeslves。 This was all about the rituals， the hardship and the strength of these sponge divers and the families supported very modestly by them。 Uplifting。
Cbx
，
I had thought this would be a travel account of the humorous， fish-out-of-water type - family arrives from London to live on a Greek island and hijinks ensue。 There is certainly some of that， but from the beginning it is clear there is more depth to this。 The author and her husband left London because they could no longer take the life there， felt like they were not truly living in the hectic and tedium of their daily life （the way this is described sounds quite familiar to the modern reader， al I had thought this would be a travel account of the humorous， fish-out-of-water type - family arrives from London to live on a Greek island and hijinks ensue。 There is certainly some of that， but from the beginning it is clear there is more depth to this。 The author and her husband left London because they could no longer take the life there， felt like they were not truly living in the hectic and tedium of their daily life （the way this is described sounds quite familiar to the modern reader， although there is less smog these days）。 Then， the island lives are so very different from what they left behind。 There is no running water or electricity， large families live in single rooms， and the men go off sponge diving for many months of the year to try and eke out a living。 In the daily lives described， there is great poverty and tragedy， but also joy， ritual， and an appreciation of nature。 The author describes everything there is， from the drunken evenings in tavernas， to the standard practices she finds hard to take， and the hardships of the women's lives。 She also describes how her children adapt， what they observe and ask about， and is quite aware of the impact this change has had on their lives。 Perhaps the fault I noticed most was a romanticising of the people， as being more pure and true for living as they do， but this did not come up so frequently。 An all around interesting book， and well worth reading。 。。。more
Gabriel Rousseau
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A book about GreeceThat I read in Greece but stillMade me pine for Greece
Virginia Van
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A beautiful written and evocative memoir of the year the Australian writers Charmian Clift and George Johnston spent living on the tiny island of Kalymnos。 A poor island supported by the grueling job of sponge fishing， the villagers nonetheless welcomed the family， including their two small children。 After they recovered from the culture shock of moving from grey， dreary， urban London， they embraced the life and the characters who inhabited the island。 A wonderful memoir of life in Greece before A beautiful written and evocative memoir of the year the Australian writers Charmian Clift and George Johnston spent living on the tiny island of Kalymnos。 A poor island supported by the grueling job of sponge fishing， the villagers nonetheless welcomed the family， including their two small children。 After they recovered from the culture shock of moving from grey， dreary， urban London， they embraced the life and the characters who inhabited the island。 A wonderful memoir of life in Greece before mass tourism arrived。 。。。more
Rachel
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This memoir and the one that follows （peel me a lotus） are beautiful portraits of 1950s life in the Greek islands。 While some of the language is quite dated this is an often hilarious account of an English/Australian family getting used to living in a Greek community。 Peel Me A Lotus is more well known than this earlier work， but I preferred the story of a family adjustment to life on old-fashioned Kalmykia to a tale of arty bohemians all making a life of sorts on Hydra。 The perfect summer escap This memoir and the one that follows （peel me a lotus） are beautiful portraits of 1950s life in the Greek islands。 While some of the language is quite dated this is an often hilarious account of an English/Australian family getting used to living in a Greek community。 Peel Me A Lotus is more well known than this earlier work， but I preferred the story of a family adjustment to life on old-fashioned Kalmykia to a tale of arty bohemians all making a life of sorts on Hydra。 The perfect summer escape read。 。。。more
Jo
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I was expecting more from a literary perspective。 Although descriptive， I found the wring flat and journalistic。 The characters all felt far off and not personal or immediate in the same way that I had enjoyed with say， Gerald Durrell。
Lyn Quilty
，
I recently reread this book many years since I first encountered it。 The prose is still as clean and fresh as the first reading， it hasn’t dated。 Clift’s descriptions are spare yet she selects the details that allow the reader to feel as if they are there with her， observing the daily rituals of island life。 She conveys affection and respect for these Greek people。 The telegram announcing the death of a diver and the grief of the woman are gut wrenching， such a hard life。 Cliff’s personal voice I recently reread this book many years since I first encountered it。 The prose is still as clean and fresh as the first reading， it hasn’t dated。 Clift’s descriptions are spare yet she selects the details that allow the reader to feel as if they are there with her， observing the daily rituals of island life。 She conveys affection and respect for these Greek people。 The telegram announcing the death of a diver and the grief of the woman are gut wrenching， such a hard life。 Cliff’s personal voice and prose style remind me somewhat of Helen Garner’s style （ or should that be reversed）。 Both are master storytellers of the small details of daily life and relationships。 Highly recommended。 More than just a memoir and travelogue， an intimate slice of life。 。。。more
Hilary Blake
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Interesting to read this memoir after reading ' A Theatre for Dreamers'。 This is about the family's life on Kalymnos。Some beautiful descriptive writing of the sea， countryside etc and interesting on the sponge divers，but felt like a travel guide at times and I got a bit bogged down by it， wanting to know more about the family 。 Interesting to read this memoir after reading ' A Theatre for Dreamers'。 This is about the family's life on Kalymnos。Some beautiful descriptive writing of the sea， countryside etc and interesting on the sponge divers，but felt like a travel guide at times and I got a bit bogged down by it， wanting to know more about the family 。 。。。more
Jennifer
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This was a beautiful memoir， by an author who has recently been “rediscovered。” My only regret is that I wish I had just read it instead of googling the author to learn more about her family and all their “real life” stories。 I wanted to know more about Charmian Clift and how her stay on this Greek island affected her life。 Here’s my advice: read her memoirs as you sit by the beach or the pool and sip your drink… or read it in bed and dream of Greece… and don’t worry about the rest。
Sonja van der Westhuizen | West Words Reviews
，
In 1954 Charmian Clift and her husband George Johnston decided to exchange their stable careers in journalism and active social life in Sydney for the Greek islands where they planned to spend all their time on their own novels。 Clift’s two autobiographical books of travel writing， Mermaid Singing and Peel me a lotus cover this bohemian， colourful and challenging time in the couples lives and present a snapshot of the islands they inhabited during that time。Full review of Mermaid Singing and Pee In 1954 Charmian Clift and her husband George Johnston decided to exchange their stable careers in journalism and active social life in Sydney for the Greek islands where they planned to spend all their time on their own novels。 Clift’s two autobiographical books of travel writing， Mermaid Singing and Peel me a lotus cover this bohemian， colourful and challenging time in the couples lives and present a snapshot of the islands they inhabited during that time。Full review of Mermaid Singing and Peel me a lotus can be found on my blog: https://westwordsreviews。wordpress。co。。。 。。。more
Carolyn Lawry
，
Mermaid Singing’s focus is tightly on the island， it’s people and traditions rather than on Charmian and George。 I know more about sponge diving than I ever thought necessary。
adder_r
，
Charmian Clift’s writing is a gift that keeps on giving。 It is great storytelling informed by observation， experience and empathy， delivered with humour， and flowing on an undercurrent of no-nonsense feminism。We were civilisation sick， asphalt and television sick [。。。] and felt a sort of hollow that we had not been able to fill up with material success。 We had come to Kalymnos [。。。] to be reassured in our humanity。’
Dilek
，
It's beginning of the 50s。 A married couple， both writers decide to leave the post-war London to live on a small Greek island with their small children。 They plan to get a living only by writing and to live a simple life under sun。 Kalymnos is one of the Greek islands， and its people depend on sponge diving （a very dangerous profession） for living。 As they are the first foreigners arrived to live there， this is big news to the whole island。This is a memoir of settling the family in their new hom It's beginning of the 50s。 A married couple， both writers decide to leave the post-war London to live on a small Greek island with their small children。 They plan to get a living only by writing and to live a simple life under sun。 Kalymnos is one of the Greek islands， and its people depend on sponge diving （a very dangerous profession） for living。 As they are the first foreigners arrived to live there， this is big news to the whole island。This is a memoir of settling the family in their new home， getting friends and living among the islanders who are more than eager to help， up to the point never to leave them alone。Charmian Clift describes the family's experience to the reader from different perspectives; she tells us the stories of the people closer to the family， the way of living on the island， daily life， seasonal activities， religious practices and festivities， etc。 She also tells us about the topics usually left out of memoirs， such as the lives of children in a poor remote island， including her own children's eventful lives， women's place in this community， and household practices。 This first book gives the detailed chronicle of the year they spend in Kalymnos， and it tells about the good times and the bad times， their struggles and small triumphs。 Chapter by chapter， Clift takes us back in time， when Greek islands were not invaded by travellers and tourists， and gives an authentic account of living on an island in the middle of nowhere with little money as a foreigner。It's an enjoyable read， especially because leaving big cities behind is still a hot topic。 The world has changed a lot since this book was written， but it still resonates with us。Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley。 。。。more
Alison Starnes
，
'And at the foot of the mountains was a town， an improbable town that from across the wild sea had the appearance of carefully arranged matchboxes - a doll's town to amuse a child on a wet afternoon。 Beyond the little cubes of white and blue and yellow ochre a hill rose out of a valley with a ruined wall and three round towers; and below the houses a forest of matchstick masts tossed on what would ultimately prove， no doubt， to be a nursery bowl filled with water from the bathroom tap。'Writer Ch 'And at the foot of the mountains was a town， an improbable town that from across the wild sea had the appearance of carefully arranged matchboxes - a doll's town to amuse a child on a wet afternoon。 Beyond the little cubes of white and blue and yellow ochre a hill rose out of a valley with a ruined wall and three round towers; and below the houses a forest of matchstick masts tossed on what would ultimately prove， no doubt， to be a nursery bowl filled with water from the bathroom tap。'Writer Charmian Clift and her journalist husband， George Johnston， moved from London to the Greek island of Kalymnos in the 1950s。 This book is a memoir of their time on the island， where they went to live a simpler life and focus on their writing。The couple and their two children arrive on the island and are immediately found accommodation in a large yellow house on the seafront。 In the book， Clift writes about their lives， the local characters， landscape， superstitions， festivals， religious beliefs， the role of women， and various other topics， in prose that brings everything to fragrant and descriptive life。The island's main industry is provided by sponge diving， which takes place off the coast of Africa， for around seven months a year。 The work is incredibly dangerous and several divers end up crippled。 Clift and Johnston's old life， in London， sits in stark contrast to their island life。 Here， everyone is sociable and they cannot move or even eat without the accompaniment of friends and neighbours。 Going for a walk by themselves is impossible and any hope of privacy is soon quashed; however， the islanders are kind and hospitable， bringing food and even pets to the family。The consolation is the island itself， with its many small settlements， bays and views， and simple way of life， all of which Clift describes in a way that makes you want to visit。'Perhaps there is neither time nor room for the trivial emotions that lay the marks of disfigurement on the city face， not here in lives where joy and sorrow are scaled to the mountains and the wind and the eternal beat of the sea。'I was captivated by the writing and look forward to reading more in the companion volume， 'Peel Me a Lotus'， where the family moves to the island of Hydra。I was sent an advance review copy of this book by Muswell Press， in return for an honest appraisal。 。。。more
Kate Vane
，
This is the first of two books Charmian Clift wrote about her life in Greece with her husband， George Johnston， and her two children。 The artists’ colony that grew up around them on Hydra， which included a young Leonard Cohen， was the inspiration for Polly Samson’s A Theatre for Dreamers and features in the sequel to this book， Peel Me A Lotus。 Mermaid Singing， though， focuses on their time in Kalymnos， for what was then intended to be a stay of a few months， while Clift and Johnston collaborate This is the first of two books Charmian Clift wrote about her life in Greece with her husband， George Johnston， and her two children。 The artists’ colony that grew up around them on Hydra， which included a young Leonard Cohen， was the inspiration for Polly Samson’s A Theatre for Dreamers and features in the sequel to this book， Peel Me A Lotus。 Mermaid Singing， though， focuses on their time in Kalymnos， for what was then intended to be a stay of a few months， while Clift and Johnston collaborated on a book。There was a time in the early 2000s when there was a glut of this kind of book （and corresponding TV programmes）。 Fuelled by cheap flights and freedom of movement， everyone dreamed of starting a sunnier， simpler life on a mountain or by a beach。 The books could be aspirational and humorous as they described their authors’ struggles to adapt but at their worst they could turn every anecdote into a “funny foreigner” story。Mermaid Singing， first published in 1958， was well ahead of this trend and avoids that pitfall。 Clift writes with great compassion and curiosity about the people of Kalymnos， neither ridiculing them nor accepting uncritically their way of life。 What for Clift is an opportunity to live cheaply in a stunningly beautiful location — both mountain and beach — she appreciates is a challenge for its residents。The island is in a period of transition。 The whole economy is based on the sponge divers who undertake dangerous and demanding work， sailing away for the summer and not returning till the autumn。 Many of them are killed， those who are injured are condemned to a kind of twilight， finding work where they can， shunned by their former comrades as representing the fate they may face。 Despite the terrifying nature of their work， the loss of it feels worse。 Demand is already falling as synthetic sponges become more widespread。 Many men are trying to emigrate， other families on the island are reliant on those who have already left。There is also poignancy when they visit a convent and their friend-cum-housekeeper talks wistfully about being a nun。 They are surprised initially but then Clift thinks about the demands on women on the island — married at a young age， producing babies year after year， keeping the household together while their husbands are away for months on end。Clift’s writing is lyrical， capturing the unique atmosphere of the island， its festivals， the sociability of the islanders， the food — or its lack。 She can also be acerbic in her observations， such as on the low status of women and the flipside of the gregariousness of her neighbours — the fact she and Johnston can never be alone。She also writes movingly about the change it has meant for her own family。 I can’t help a wry smile when she talks of the tyranny of the evening news （what would she have made of Twitter！）。 Other concerns are unchanged – she thinks of how confined her children’s lives were in London and how much energy she expended on keeping them entertained during the school holidays。 In Kalymnos they roam free all day， only returning for meals （and not always then）。Clift’s writing is beautiful， and she draws on more than her observations， peppering her writing with history and myth， both focused on the immediacy of life in the island and seeing its place in the wider world。 There is a sensuous immersion as vivid as the light and landscape of Kalymnos。*I received a copy of Mermaid Singing from the publisher via Netgalley。 。。。more
Rosario
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It took me a bit to get into this。 The beginning was this family: the narrator， her husband and their two young children， arriving in Kalymnos sometime in the 1950s and everything being disastrous。 The house they rent is a ruin， the landlady promises all sorts of fixes which never happen， the guy supposedly advising them is just telling them what they want to hear， it's raining constantly and everything floods。 It wasn't funny， it was just a lot。 So I didn't progress more than a few pages for li It took me a bit to get into this。 The beginning was this family: the narrator， her husband and their two young children， arriving in Kalymnos sometime in the 1950s and everything being disastrous。 The house they rent is a ruin， the landlady promises all sorts of fixes which never happen， the guy supposedly advising them is just telling them what they want to hear， it's raining constantly and everything floods。 It wasn't funny， it was just a lot。 So I didn't progress more than a few pages for literal weeks。 But then I pushed through， and it got much， much better。 Mermaid Singing is not so much the story of the narrator's family's adventures in Kalymnos， but a portrait of a people at a particular time in a particular place。 The different chapters are mostly thematic （the role of women in Kalymnos， the life of the sponge divers on whom the economy of the island， such as it is， relies） or description of particular moments in the life of the island （Carnival， the departure of the sponge divers）， although I think my favourite one was a bit different， as we just follow Clift as she follows in the tracks of her daughter， who has been all around the island。 Through the narration we get a good idea of how the narrator's family have been doing， but it's not the point of the book （in fact， her husband remains a complete cypher。。。 we know nothing about him beyond the fact he seems like a nice， pleasant man）。I enjoyed it all very much。 The writing is very good， what's being described is fascinating， and the author's perspective for the most part didn't feel problematic。 She is observing from a point of view of living in the community and being part of it。 She and her husband are very privileged economically， in comparison to most in the island， but there's no sense of superiority， and she writes with empathy and caring。I was interested to know how Kalymnos has fared in the almost 70 years since this book was published， so I've been doing a lot of googling。 It appears that the sponge industry took a huge hit in the 1980s， when a disease devastated sponges in the area。 However， the island has become a big climbing destination， so tourism has sort of replaced that as an industry （not great during these times， but I guess that's the case for a lot of the Mediterranean）。 。。。more
Annarella
，
I love travelogue and I loved this well written and entertaining book。It was like travelling back in time to a different place and feeling the sun on your face。Excellent style of writing and storytelling。Highly recommended。Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC， all opinions are mine
Yasza
，
When reading Gerald Durrell you can learn a lot about the Greek nature， its landscapes， flora and fauna。 When reading Charmian Clift， you will learn a good deal more about its people and their way of life in the midst of the 20th century。While living on Kalymnos together with her husband and two children， Clift becomes part of the island’s community， with its simple， traditional and often inconvenient （for a Londoner） Mediterranean life。She immerses herself in the Greek traditions， celebrations， When reading Gerald Durrell you can learn a lot about the Greek nature， its landscapes， flora and fauna。 When reading Charmian Clift， you will learn a good deal more about its people and their way of life in the midst of the 20th century。While living on Kalymnos together with her husband and two children， Clift becomes part of the island’s community， with its simple， traditional and often inconvenient （for a Londoner） Mediterranean life。She immerses herself in the Greek traditions， celebrations， mournings， stories and tragedies。 Clift is very observant， her skill to notice tiny details and changes in one’s behaviour makes the characters alive and breathing。 Though her new neighbours don’t have a lot to share with， they give the author’s family all the affection and friendship they can。 Writing about these people， Clift finds the essence of Kalymnos’ life， without trying to embellish it， which makes this book very sincere， heartwarming and engaging。 I started reading this book when moving from Russia to the Mediterranean myself， so I related to it deeply。 Two main things I enjoyed about these memoirs were Clift’s ability to stay open to everything new and her genuine concern about everyone she meets。 We never come back from other countries being the same person， because new experiences， places and people we run into on these journeys change us bit by bit。 Clift changes， too， and I’m here for it continuing reading her memoirs with “Peel Me a Lotus”。Thanks to NetGalley and Muswell Press for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
PL
，
This is a reissue of a lovely book written by Australian author Charmian Clift about her family’s move to the island of Kalymnos in the 1950s。 It’s such a realistic and lovely description of Greece in that time after the Second World War and after the devastating Greek civil war。 It captures the harsh， stark yet beautiful life on this remote island。 The language is lyrical and the author’s observations and vignettes about the locals are warm and fond–finding both the humor and the pathos in this This is a reissue of a lovely book written by Australian author Charmian Clift about her family’s move to the island of Kalymnos in the 1950s。 It’s such a realistic and lovely description of Greece in that time after the Second World War and after the devastating Greek civil war。 It captures the harsh， stark yet beautiful life on this remote island。 The language is lyrical and the author’s observations and vignettes about the locals are warm and fond–finding both the humor and the pathos in this tight-knit community that takes her family in。 Detailed narratives on the landscapes， island hierarchy， the dangerous and devastating life of the sponge divers and their families–Clift weaves these into the story of her family and does not spare the reader the realities of the abject poverty， entrenched patriarchy， capricious callousness of the sponge divers line of work。 But Clift also reveals the generosity， the pride， the rituals and traditions of the inhabitants of this small island and how her family made it their home。 From counting her own blessings and acknowledging a new found gratitude for their own family’s circumstances， to how the children immersed themselves into and adapted to the island society， to the ways the sexist attitudes were steeped in rigid patriarchal traditions but somehow did not extend in censure or negativity to the author herself–the book gives a multifaceted and richly documented look at a moment in time of modern Greek history。 It’s written in such an engaging， personal， empathetic manner。 I am looking forward to the second book by this author。 You can feel the heat of the Greek sun， visualise the landscapes and whitewashed island vistas， conjure up snapshots of this world from the vividness of the writing。 Highly recommended。My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC。 。。。more
Alexandra
，
I had thought that I liked travel memoirs。 And I do - I can enjoy a good 'and then we went here and experienced that' story。 But I've eventually realised that what I really enjoy is what I choose to call 'domesticity in the exotic'。 Exotic is a loaded word， but I use it here to evoke a sense of difference that I don't think 'foreign' really captures; and I'm just as including a Brazilian or Nigerian writing about moving to Melbourne as I am a Londoner moving to Provence （I think Romulus， My Fath I had thought that I liked travel memoirs。 And I do - I can enjoy a good 'and then we went here and experienced that' story。 But I've eventually realised that what I really enjoy is what I choose to call 'domesticity in the exotic'。 Exotic is a loaded word， but I use it here to evoke a sense of difference that I don't think 'foreign' really captures; and I'm just as including a Brazilian or Nigerian writing about moving to Melbourne as I am a Londoner moving to Provence （I think Romulus， My Father arguably fits neatly into my category）。 Before A Year in Provence or Under a Tuscan Sun came Mermaid Singing， by Australian Charmian Clift。 I read this book thanks to NetGalley。 I'm incredibly pleased that it's been republished。 Its most obvious parallel is My Family and Other Animals， and the rest of the Corfu Trilogy。 Indeed， they were originally published in the same year， 1956。 But 'parallel' is right: they seem to start similarly and go in the same direction - family moves impetuously to Greek island， experiences with Greek locals don't always go as expected， genteel poverty etc - but they are fundamentally separated stories。 Where My Family is written two decades after the events， Mermaid is contemporaneous。 Where Durrell was the spoilt youngest son of the family and was off having adventures and occasionally going to school， Clift is a writer and a mother and a wife; while she has adventures， they're not the focus， because she has the cares and concerns of an adult: both for her own family and the way she views the people around them。 My Family is a fond recollection of a childhood dream， /something something the world before World War 2 blah blah。 Mermaid Singing is part 'domesticity in the exotic'， but also a rumination on the hardship of Kalymnos life， and the difficulties of being a woman in the 1950s trying to forge and continue a career alongside motherhood。 Clift writes beautifully， and evocatively。 Kalymnos is an island that largely relies on about 10% of its population going out on sponge-diving expeditions for 7 months of the year - a dangerous occupation and one that's bringing back less revenue as， in the 50s， artificial sponges are taking over the market。 It's also an island still， in Clift's experience， in the grip of patriarchal attitudes （and Clift herself is part of this as she notes she has no right to comment on whether someone has beaten his wife at the end of a drunken week）。 The whole reason for moving here is for Clift and her husband to collaborate on their third novel， this one to be about the sponge-divers。 And they do manage to do this， in between drinking a lot of retzina and being closely observed by all their neighbours and seemingly endless rounds of engagements and baptisms。 This is no day-by-day account of life。 Like A Year in Provence it follows a year， observing the changes to life as the seasons come and go。 Clift observes moments: a friend giving birth， experiences in the taverna， the experiences of her two children during Carnival。。。。 As a gifted writer， she uses these moments to reflect on life itself - and death; and she conjures a wondrous view of Kalymnos。 Is this likely to reflect the lives of the people who lived there their whole lives？ Perhaps not。 Perhaps they would recognise some aspect of their lives but be confused by an emphasis or examination。 It does seem like a genuine reflection of Clift's experience - an an ex-pat Australian， a writer， a woman who didn't quite fit the expected mould of womanhood on the island。 。。。more
Tripfiction
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Bringing 1950s Greece to life - KALYMNOSKalymnos lived on the sponge diving industry but it was a dying art when Chairman and her husband arrived， two children in tow， landing in a country that was so unfamiliar， with little money in the bank， but hey， they were up for a change and some adventure。 They had left bleak and grey London behind and the lure of Greece was strong。 Clift marvelled at the island， it felt imposing with the mountains towering behind and the waterfront quite the cosmopolita Bringing 1950s Greece to life - KALYMNOSKalymnos lived on the sponge diving industry but it was a dying art when Chairman and her husband arrived， two children in tow， landing in a country that was so unfamiliar， with little money in the bank， but hey， they were up for a change and some adventure。 They had left bleak and grey London behind and the lure of Greece was strong。 Clift marvelled at the island， it felt imposing with the mountains towering behind and the waterfront quite the cosmopolitan harbour， especially by sleepy Greek island standards。 The evidence of the sponge diving history was everywhere and in fact in their rented and rather run down ‘yellow house’， there was a sponge clipping room， where the men cut and sorted the sponges。They have arrived on an island that is was entrenched in traditional values， where the men had the final say and traditional dress was ubiquitous （mainly for women）。 Marriages were often arranged， men left to dive， the women left behind， sometimes going years without seeing their husbands。There are many snippets of island life and I certainly learned a lot from her insightful thoughts and observations – that pine resin was added to wine， to preserve it as it was shipped further afield， for example and， the resultant astringency of resination counteracts the oily nature of Greek food。 If you are a fan of retzina， then each glass is a toast （in other words it is not a drink for glugging！） and I raise a glass to the stalwart and resourceful author。 。。。more
Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore
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My thanks to Muswell Press and NetGalley for a review copy of this one。 In the 1950s， Australian writer Charmian Clift and her husband George Johnston （with whom she also jointly wrote books） decided to leave grey， dreary London （where George was working on Fleet Street） to move to a Greek Island with their children and live by their pen—not being of the other persuasion of journalists who apparently take to pig-farming。 Mermaid Singing is the first of two volumes of her memoirs， this one of the My thanks to Muswell Press and NetGalley for a review copy of this one。 In the 1950s， Australian writer Charmian Clift and her husband George Johnston （with whom she also jointly wrote books） decided to leave grey， dreary London （where George was working on Fleet Street） to move to a Greek Island with their children and live by their pen—not being of the other persuasion of journalists who apparently take to pig-farming。 Mermaid Singing is the first of two volumes of her memoirs， this one of the year the family spent living on the impoverished island of Kalymnos。 （The other， of their life in Hydra is Peel Me a Lotus， which I’ll have a separate review of）。 At the beginning of each chapter are pen and ink illustrations by Cedric Flower—these I think are new。Beginning with their rather uncomfortable boat ride （after hours of air travel） to the island， experience finding a house and settling in， we are taken through various facets of the family’s life there—the different people they met and interacted with， things Clift observed--from nature to human nature， the children’s experiences and the adults’， to other aspects of island life--taverns， customs， meals and celebrations。 Kalymnos was an island of sponge divers—the men went by ship to the African coast each year to dive for sponge while their wives and children remained on the island。 Life was hard and the fact that synthetic sponge was being preferred to natural meant the divers’ livelihoods were under threat。 （Interestingly around the time I was reading the book， I happened to chance upon a short TV programme on Greece which also discussed the livelihood problems the sponge divers are facing in the current context， half a century or so since this volume）。 The society was very traditional and strongly patriarchal， but there were women that spoke their mind and questioned the limitations they had to live under （like their domestic help Sevasti）。 Clift and her family were the only foreigners but there were also Greeks who had been brought up in England or elsewhere but now lived in Kalymnos。 Life there was completely different from anything they had known or experienced， yet rich and much more satisfactory and fulfilling。 And it is this， from small everyday experiences （like leaks in their house when their first moved in） to little adventures （like getting the children the pet they were promised， or ‘the small animus’ as a Greek friend called it） and trips they took （on which they are never left alone）， to larger issues like that of gender that we see in this book。 When I started this book， what immediately captured my attention was Clift’s wit and humour。 For instance， ‘There is some mysterious affinity between a journalist and a Berkshire sow， that to me is completely unfathomable， but then I married into the island persuasion of journalists’。 Perhaps there are more downright funny observations at the start than later but her writing is great fun all through。 Clift was a keen observer and gives us vivid descriptions with great detail about each facet that she is writing about， be it a person or occurrence or scene。 Reading the book， one could well be sitting with her and her family watching events unfold or gazing at the landscape。 Considering how full their life seemed with just the events described， she does point out that amidst all that she and George did write the book they were there for， and she would have been writing this one as well。 So certainly as she writes， on the island away from modern entertainments and distractions， they had the time to work， spend with their kids， and enjoy the life that it offered to the fullest。 Yet reminders of their old life （an unpaid gas bill that follows them） are kept on as their link with that other life。 Reading about island life and culture， especially the patriarchal set up， I was somewhat surprised by how much was similar to other parts of the world—early marriages and dowries （or at least their equivalent）， strict （and unfair） gender roles， and of course the misogyny。 Charmian stands out and perhaps shocks residents by dressing in pants， swimming with （and faster than） men， and drinking in taverns which were the realm of men alone。 Charmian and her family’s life isn’t necessarily the idyllic island life with picturesque scenes （though there are those） and lolling about in the sun—the characters are rich， there is a great deal of colour but there are also tragic and melancholy stories and gory details （Clift doesn’t shy of describing the butcher’s shop or the fate of the poor spring lambs）—besides work， of course。 This was a really enjoyable read for me， one I could be lost in。 So glad to have come across this on NetGalley since I hadn’t heard of either Clift or the books before。 。。。more
Fiona
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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review。I was not familiar with this novel， the authors or anything about them。 I was intrigued though as there was a quote from Leonard Cohen on the synopsis， and from the quote I thought it would be wine， fun and laughs。 The writing is lovely， and a very simple life， quirky life on a remote Greek Island in the 1960 is wonderfully painted。 This is particularly relevant as this is not a memoir of a family backpac Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review。I was not familiar with this novel， the authors or anything about them。 I was intrigued though as there was a quote from Leonard Cohen on the synopsis， and from the quote I thought it would be wine， fun and laughs。 The writing is lovely， and a very simple life， quirky life on a remote Greek Island in the 1960 is wonderfully painted。 This is particularly relevant as this is not a memoir of a family backpacking out to Greece and having the time of their life。 This is a story where life was simpler， but the toilet did not flush， and an unpaid gas bill followed them out to Greece。 The journey over to the Island was tough and their house was not what they were expecting。 But they get help and they make friends， and the writing depicts this beautifully。 Sometimes I think when I read books on a kindle， I miss things though。 I have never been to Greece and have never heard of Kalymnos so would loved to have seen some photographs， and I felt that this would have preferred having the actual novel that I could dip in an out of， rather than a kindle。It’s a lovely travel read though， an escapism to the simple Greek life from the pressures of the third Irish lockdown。 。。。more
Angie
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An enjoyable read， a travel book about a family who move from Australia to a Greek island。 The writing is enchanting and you feel you get to know the family and all the other villagers。
Alex Sarll
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"'You are a pair of romantic babies，' said a friend of ours。 'And of course you'll live to regret this folly。 On the other hand I believe that although the mermaids are mute it is necessary for everybody， once in his life， to go down to the sea and wait and listen。'" Beautiful phrasing， and not an unreasonable response if， in the 1950s， a couple with two young children should tell you that they're leaving London for life on a Greek island， and not even one of the big or famous ones。 Kalymnos' dr "'You are a pair of romantic babies，' said a friend of ours。 'And of course you'll live to regret this folly。 On the other hand I believe that although the mermaids are mute it is necessary for everybody， once in his life， to go down to the sea and wait and listen。'" Beautiful phrasing， and not an unreasonable response if， in the 1950s， a couple with two young children should tell you that they're leaving London for life on a Greek island， and not even one of the big or famous ones。 Kalymnos' dramatic scenery belies its size （"ten miles long and， at its broadest point， less than five miles wide"）; its economy rests on a sponge-diving trade which always crippled those who dove， but is now itself faltering thanks to the increasing availability of artificial alternatives。 Meaning "It is an island under sentence， an island in suspense" – a sunnier version of all those remote Scottish fastnesses where in the end everyone emigrated。 Except， of course， that wasn't how it happened， because not long after this was written， mass Mediterranean tourism became a thing （although if that was unforeseen in 1956， so was the trade's sudden end in 2020， so who knows where they're at now？）。But to go back to that eloquently sceptical response which gives the book its title – obviously the immediate response was that the kids interrupt， taking the statement at face value because small children tend not to be familiar with much modernist poetry。 And it cannot be emphasised enough that this is travel writing as done by the mother of two young kids， simply because that's still not the default mode， and was even less so in the mid-20th century。 From Stephen Graham through Patrick Leigh Fermor to Clive James， my mental picture of a wanderer thenabouts is an unencumbered young（ish） man。 Granted， there is the one obvious counterexample of Dervla Murphy， but even if I was too young to remember it myself， I've always associated her with an awkward anecdote of my infancy， which has shied me away from much investigation。 Still， it puts a whole different complexion on proceedings: the traveller themselves may be fine with roughing it in a leaky hovel， or unfamiliar foods， but young children。。。well。 And although being outsiders to some extent exempts the Clifts from Kalymnos' rigid gender roles， it's still unsurprising if Charmian has a more pointed perspective on the matter than her husband might have done were he writing this， or if the pair had collaborated as they did on their novels。 Indeed， she offers a fascinating report on a warning from another expat， who found that at some point， and she couldn't even quite put her finger on when， she and her husband had gone from mocking the island's expectations together， to gradually emulating them。 Of course， now we have the extra lens of distance， because the Clifts give the impression of having been moderately bohemian by the standards of the day yet pretty old-fashioned by ours – but Charmian still offers an acute account of Kalymnos' set-up， which one might now characterise as 'patriarchy harms everyone' turned up to 11， with absurd strictures placed on both genders such that everyone feels limited and as if the others are getting a better deal。Also interesting is that these rigid gender roles aren't perceived just as a case of going back in time， but as sometimes distinctly different to what she's known in England and Australia。 This was， after all， a time before cheap flights and TV had made such in-roads in homogenising even the Western world， and much of the island life， even when it is presented as a matter of religion， seems to Clift to represent more of a pre-Christian survival。 Which is perhaps inevitable when names like Xanthippe and Calliope are just that， names， names which a neighbour might bear without it being thought remotely remarkable， even though they seem that way to Anglophone ears。 In places， the weight with which superstition is regarded， or the firm taboos， reminded me of that folk horror mainstay， the pagan village conspiracy – with the key distinction that the locals here are much easier on the unwitting outsiders than those born into them。 Also， they seem less invested in the classical past than the incomers – Clift's surprised when the children come home from school to learn that the heroes of whom they're taught there are not those of myth， but of the war of liberation from the Ottomans， simply because it's so easy for an Anglo to forget that Greek history is an ongoing thing， not a distinct and distant era。At its best， Mermaid Singing catches the wild mood swings of making a new life far away， the way that an infuriating day can shade into a delightful one and then into some baffling alloy of the two。 There are some wonderfully whimsical passages: "An unpaid gas bill still pursued us politely from the Edgware Road。 Because it was our only surviving link with our previous life we were loath to pay it。" In a few setpiece scenes， we get intoxicating cascades of impressions and images which rhapsodically capture the white and blue of the streets， the phantasmagoria of Carnival and christening。 At its worst， one is sorely tempted to shout 'Oh do give over！' as Clift lapses towards 'the poor are happier because they're more spiritual' territory - as when， towards the end， she suggests that "what gives the faces a nobility almost unnatural in our age is the complete absence of resentment and pettishness， or those tell-tale lines that mark the frustration of little egos"。 This mere pages after a study of the pathetic figure of a failed captain， who demonstrates all those attributes in abundance。 See also "I knew by experience that labour is not eliminated by gadgets， you can't get entertainment at the flick of a switch" – which is all very easy to say when on Kalymnos you can outsource much domestic drudgery for a pittance。 Still， these annoyances were rarer than the poetic passages， or the clear-eyed ones。 The overall effect is of a caught moment; a record of a world that was ending， which， even if that's probably for the best， was still a loss for all that。（Netgalley ARC） 。。。more
Susan
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This beautiful book was published in 1956。 Australian writer Charmian Clift and her writer husband George Johnston moved with their two children from London， where they were both working as journalists， to the impoverished Greek island of Kalymnos。 She chronicles the year they spend there， at times telling the stories that expatriates everywhere have of interacting with a new culture and language， at others focusing on the history and everyday lives of the island， and sometimes relating what lif This beautiful book was published in 1956。 Australian writer Charmian Clift and her writer husband George Johnston moved with their two children from London， where they were both working as journalists， to the impoverished Greek island of Kalymnos。 She chronicles the year they spend there， at times telling the stories that expatriates everywhere have of interacting with a new culture and language， at others focusing on the history and everyday lives of the island， and sometimes relating what life looks like for them， their work， and their children。 Whatever her focus the writing is precise and beautiful and the portraits are respectful。 This book is full of joy at the life they create there， as well as hope that they can sustain an idyllic and creative life in Greece。 But doing a bit of research about her life overshadows this hope in tragic ways。 After publishing a novel based on the people of Kalymnos， Clift and Johnston moved to the island of Hydros - less impoverished and having a vibrant expatriate life of creatives （including， most famously， Leonard Cohen）。 It appears that their years in Hydra set the stage for later tragedy; Clift committed suicide at the age of 44， and Johnston died the year following from complications associated with TB。 Their two children， portrayed so beautifully in Mermaid Singing， fared no better; their daughter also committed suicide at a young age and their son died young from alcoholism。 But the writer of Mermaid Singing does not know what the future holds in store for the four of them。 She comes across as charming and curious and excellent company。 This is also a fascinating look at an ancient way of life that in the 1950's had few modern adaptations。 Highly recommend。 。。。more
Chris Waterford
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My first impressions were how good the writing was---rich descriptive passages about life on a Greek island with the author's family。 However eventually I discovered that the book had no soul---if you were a member of the family or lived on the island it would be very interesting---most of the locals are named---but almost nothing personal---or dramatic。 My first impressions were how good the writing was---rich descriptive passages about life on a Greek island with the author's family。 However eventually I discovered that the book had no soul---if you were a member of the family or lived on the island it would be very interesting---most of the locals are named---but almost nothing personal---or dramatic。 。。。more
Lisa
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I actually read this in the combined Imprint edition that includes Mermaids are Singing， but I've recorded them here as separate editions because I read them at different times。 I actually read this in the combined Imprint edition that includes Mermaids are Singing， but I've recorded them here as separate editions because I read them at different times。 。。。more
Jill
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Charmian Clift and George Johnston leave dreary grey London for the Greek island of Kalymnos to escape their high-pressured lifestyle and to work on their joint novel。 They and their two children discover that life on a Greek island is not all sunshine and fun， that life for the locals is harsh and challenging but that there are rewards for visitors who are prepared to slow down and enjoy local customs and traditions。 Sequel to be read。
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Cantos de sirena
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Cantos de sirena&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Cantos de sirena&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0