In 1952, John Fowles arrived for the first time at the island of Spetses to teach English at the Anargirios College. As he mentions in a number of his books, it was love at first sight with Greece and its nature.
 

“With no company but my own freedom, I began for the first time in my life to look at Nature; I became aware of stones, birds, flowers and land, in a new way...”. 

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On that same island  he conceived the idea of writing ‘The Magus’, his first novel, which, in its greatest part, refers to the author’s intense experiences on the island. 



He spent most of his free time visiting the villa and discussing with its owner, Petros Botassis, the man that inspired the 'Conchis' character of the novel. 



The Magus is a novel of revelation: it recounts the ‘initiating’ journey of Nicholas Urfe, a young and ambitious Englishman, who will live on a Greek island on the Saronikos Bay for a year and, who, through the trials to which a strange man - Maurice Conchis - will subject him, will discover his inner self.

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By integrating themes of the ancient Greek mythology with elements from his personal Greek experience, John Fowles succeeds in creating a fascinating novel, which is classical and at the same time modern. "MAGUS" has been described as the cult novel of the 20th Century.

 

Fowles started writing ‘The Magus’ in 1954 and completed it 12 years later. Upon its publication, ‘The Magus’ became a best-seller. It has been translated in 15 languages -it was translated in Greek in 1996 - and has been introduced in many American universities as a doctorate thesis.



‘The Magus’ became a movie in 1969, produced by 20th Century Fox, starring Anthony Quinn, Candice Bergen and Michael Caine.



​​Available the DVD of the 52 minute documentary of John Fowle's return to the island and his visit to the house.