I ploughed through this in one day, though actually, it was less of a ploughing and more of a strolling, as Tulloch's prose is light and breezy, without being overfamiliar or jokey. The text is embellished with illustrations from Greek vases, which adds to the charm.

There's loads of interesting cultural and historical information hidden in the Greek elements of English, and Tulloch is a friendly and authoritative guide. ( )