Patrick Leigh Fermor

I picked up all his books in the NYRB summer sale. Any suggestions for the best order to read them in?

The masterpieces are generally thought to be the books about PLF's youthful travels in Europe, A Time of Gifts and Between the Woods and the Water. I suppose it depends on whether you want to save the best for last, or go right for it.

I was entranced by A Time of Gifts and Between the Woods and the Water when I read them several years ago (they may have been the first NYRBs I ever bought), and immediately bought Mani and Roumeli but strangely haven't gotten around to reading them yet. I also enjoyed A Time To Keep Silence but it's not in the same league as A Time of Gifts and Between the Woods and the Water. I would definitely start with them! And I understand that Leigh Fermor's executors will be bringing out the final volume that brings PLF right to the gates of Constantinople -- can't wait!

I started with A Time of Gifts which won me over completely but then quite randomly jumped to A Time to Keep Silent. I'd second starting with A Time of Gifts.

Thank you for the suggestions!

Thanks from me, too. I just purchased the Kindle version of A Time of Gifts.