Overview

Welcome back to Telios, the Greek village where bureaucracy meets baklava, where the sea changes moods more often than the mayor, and where the goats-God help us-show more leadership potential than half the council. Life here should be simple: sun, sea, sardines, repeat. But simplicity and Greece haven't spoken since 1974, so naturally a new wave of regulations arrives just in time to ruin everyone's appetite. Overnight, Zorba's beloved seaside taverna finds itself under threat-again-thanks to rules so confusing they appear to have been written by a man who's never seen a kitchen and may, in fact, be allergic to joy. Peter, reluctantly heroic, and Alex, heroically reluctant, rally the villagers in defence of their tables, their traditions, and their constitutional right to argue loudly over dinner. What starts as a gentle disagreement soon unfolds into full-blown municipal chaos, complete with spoon-wielding grandmothers ready for battle, a goat with unofficial diplomatic immunity, and a mayoral election in which every candidate is actively campaigning not to be chosen. The gossiping hurricane known as Maria documents everything-selectively, creatively, and occasionally with 30% accuracy. Spiros, philosopher of the kafenio and part-time fisherman, contributes wisdom from his favourite bench (recently declared ""structurally questionable"" by the council). Father Evangelos dispenses blessings, warnings, and unsolicited advice with equal enthusiasm, while Theodora guards her kitchen with the ferocity of a Byzantine general. If anyone dares mention ""health inspectors"", she sharpens her ladle. Together they form the beating, laughing, quarrelling heart of Telios. The taverna becomes Greece in miniature: passionate, chaotic, generous, and gloriously alive. Plates clatter, cats demand rent, visitors wander in by accident and stay by choice, and somewhere in the background, Dimitri claims to have seen something monstrous in the sea-again. Part memoir, part comic fiction, Zorba's Taverna: The Trouble with Goats & Mayors is Peter Barber at his funniest and most affectionate. A warm, witty celebration of island life, friendship, food, and the beautiful absurdity of trying to organise anything-anything at all-in Greece. If it didn't happen exactly this way... it absolutely should have.

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9781916574250

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Peter Barber is an award-winning author with a passion for Greece and a gift for capturing its humour, heart, and glorious chaos. A British native who traded England's grey drizzle for Greece's sun-soaked unpredictability, Peter has built a devoted readership through his warm, funny, and sharply observed storytelling. His books include A Parthenon on Our Roof, A Parthenon in Pefki, The Parthenon Paradox, and the hit new Zorba series-Zorba's Parthenon, Zorba's Taverna, and the soon-to-be-released Zorba's Embrace. Peter's Greek journey began when he married Alex, his fiery and fiercely independent Greek wife, who took it upon herself to transform him from a polite, rule-driven Englishman into a more heroic (and far less composed) version of himself. Immersed in Alex's warm, loud, and wonderfully expressive family, Peter discovered a world where emotions are lived out loud, laughter is plentiful, and nothing happens quietly. Inspired by the charm and everyday madness of Greek life, Peter began writing to capture his experiences before they blended into routine. His first memoir quickly won readers over with its humour and honesty, proving that while cultures differ, the things that connect us-love, laughter, family-are universal. Peter's books continue to serve as affectionate love letters to Greece. Whether navigating village bureaucracy, surviving passionate family debates, or observing the unpredictable rhythm of life in a small seaside village, his stories celebrate resilience, community, and the art of finding humour in life's surprises. His latest memoir, The Parthenon Paradox, is his most personal yet, chronicling the aftermath of a devastating flood that destroyed his home and the journey to rebuild with humour and hope. Meanwhile, his fast-growing Zorba series introduces readers to the fictional village of Pefki, blending truth and storytelling in the spirit of ""if it didn't happen this way, it should have. Peter divides his time between Greece and the UK, continually inspired by the beauty and absurdity of both worlds. Through his books, he invites readers to experience the warmth, comedy, and irresistible spirit of Greece-no passport required.

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