Was he the real-life model for James Bond? Did he walk from Holland to Istanbul as a teenager in the 1930’s? Did he capture a German general during World War II? Did he swim the Hellespont at age 69?

Probably, yes, yes and yes! Patrick Leigh Fermor lived a long (96 years) and incredibly varied life. His writing, comprised of memoirs, a novel, reviews, travel articles, screenplays and letters, reveals his peripatetic lifestyle, omnivorous curiosity, and resulting encyclopedic knowledge. His many decades-long friendships connect him to artists and writers, politicians, and military figures who all played roles in the political and social development of Europe during the 20^th century.

Join us as we look at his life and work, including his own achievements as well as those of his wide circle of friends, presented against the backdrop of a continent navigating two world wars and significant political and social realignments. We’ll see how the tumult of the 20^th century played out on both a grand and an individual scale. And we’ll see just how much like James Bond Patrick Leigh Fermor might have been.

The course will include presentations on PLF-related topics both large and small. Samples of his writings, as well as videos and related articles will be presented and/or made available through the course Padlet.

Ann Berman is a dedicated life-long learner and teacher who loves going down rabbit holes in pursuit of answers. Although her main interest is Shakespeare, she is happy to be researching someone who actually lived into the 21^st century. She appreciates that her brother gave her one of PLF’s books, and that Richard Eason made a reference to PLF during another OLLI class, which is how this course got started.

Richard Eason is a retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer who has had a lifelong interest in fascinating British individuals like Patrick Leigh Fermor and is a lover of Greece for decades (even taking Greek lessons at this very moment). He learned about Fermor while he was stationed at the American Embassy in London decades ago and has read into his life and adventures ever since. He has a particular fascination with Crete, where Fermor's wartime adventures played out, and has also taught a course on the Minoan civilization discovered there.

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