Swallow's Dance: A Minoan Story, with Wendy Orr

Experts on History

Swallow's Dance by Wendy Orr is a beautiful portrait of the Aegean Bronze Age set during the time of the Theran eruption through the eyes of a young girl. This interview with our CEO Jan van der Crabben and author Wendy Orr discusses Wendy's fascination with the Minoans, Akrotiri and the Bronze Age Aegean, and how her visit to Santorini and Crete influenced her writing.

Get the book: https://www.worldhistory.org/books/1772780626/

Leira is about to start her initiation as a priestess when her world is turned upside down. A violent earthquake leaves her home - and her family - in pieces. And the goddess hasn't finished with the island yet.

With her family, Leira flees across the sea to Crete, expecting sanctuary. But a volcanic eruption throws the entire world into darkness. After the resulting tsunami, society descends into chaos; the status and privilege of being noble-born reduced to nothing. With her injured mother and elderly nurse, Leira has only the strength and resourcefulness within herself to find safety.

This podcast was produced by World History Encyclopedia (www.worldhistory.org) and first published in 2020 as a video interview.

Wendy Orr's Website: https://www.wendyorr.com/

Keywords: Aegean Bronze Age, Theran eruption, Minoans, Akrotiri, Santorini, Crete, Wendy Orr, Swallow's Dance, historical fiction, ancient history, Mediterranean.