{"schema_version":"bf_book_companion_v1","release_id":"20261010T034321Z-reviewed-full-unique-works","book":{"amazon_purchase_url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/0375756396?tag=bookfrontie00-20","asin":"0375756396","authors":["Tony Perrottet"],"book_id":"9780375756399","canonical_url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/pagan-holiday-9780375756399","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780375756399.jpg?v=a5a2b54e236ecc50","description":"The ancient Romans were responsible for many remarkable achievements—Roman numerals, straight roads—but one of their lesser-known contributions was the creation of the tourist industry. The first people in history to enjoy safe and easy travel, Romans embarked on the original Grand Tour, journeying from the lost city of Troy to the Acropolis, from the Colossus at Rhodes to Egypt, for the obligatory Nile cruise to the very edge of the empire. And, as Tony Perrottet discovers, the popularity of this route has only increased with time. Intrigued by the possibility of re-creating the tour, Perrottet, accompanied by his pregnant girlfriend, sets off to discover life as an ancient Roman. The result is this lively blend of fascinating historical anecdotes and hilarious personal encounters, interspersed with irreverent and often eerily prescient quotes from the ancients—a vivid portrait of the Roman Empire in all its complexity and wonder.","forthcoming":false,"isbn13":"9780375756399","publication_date":"20030408","publisher":"Random House Publishing Group","slug":"pagan-holiday","subtitle":"On the Trail of Ancient Roman Tourists","title":"Pagan Holiday"},"discovery":{"categories":{"all":[{"bisac_code":"HIS002020","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Ancient Rome","score":0.7975,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"TRV009110","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Italy Travel","score":0.7795,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"TRV026060","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Pilgrimage & Sacred Travel","score":0.7586,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"hint":[{"bisac_code":"HIS002020","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Ancient Rome","score":0.7975,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"TRV009110","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Italy Travel","score":0.7795,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"TRV026060","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Pilgrimage & Sacred Travel","score":0.7586,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"publisher":[{"bisac_code":"HIS002020","confidence_band":"high","label":"Ancient Rome","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"TRV001000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Adventure Travel","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"TRV009110","confidence_band":"high","label":"Italy Travel","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"}]},"genres":[{"label":"Ancient Rome","score":0.7975,"slug":"ancient-rome"},{"label":"Italy Travel","score":0.7795,"slug":"italy-travel"},{"label":"Pilgrimage & Sacred Travel","score":0.7586,"slug":"pilgrimage-sacred-travel"}],"reader_fit":["Good for readers interested in ancient Roman travel and tourism","Readers who enjoy humorous historical travel accounts"],"related_lists":[],"series":null,"similar_books":[{"authors":["Pascal Hughes"],"book_id":"9781335001320","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781335001320.jpg?v=a61f110df0365800","score":0.7505,"title":"A Short History of Ancient Rome","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781335001320"},{"authors":["Phillip Barlag"],"book_id":"9781632651327","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781632651327.jpg?v=3e41acbd9c2f139a","score":0.7422,"title":"The History of Rome in 12 Buildings","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781632651327"},{"authors":["DK","D.K. 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Watts"],"book_id":"9781541619814","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781541619814.jpg?v=857ccba1bb30263c","score":0.7085,"title":"The Romans","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781541619814"}],"topics":[{"evidence_refs":["keyword:history"],"label":"History","score":0.4536,"slug":"history"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:travel"],"label":"Travel","score":0.0878,"slug":"travel"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:classical studies"],"label":"Studies","score":0.0285,"slug":"studies"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:ancient history"],"label":"Ancient","score":0.0259,"slug":"ancient"}],"what_you_get":["Themes: Ancient Roman tourism, Travel through the Roman Empire, Ancient history.","Pacing: mixed tempo with quieter and high-intensity stretches.","Themes: History, Travel, Studies."]},"llm_signals":{"confidence":0.87,"pacing":"mixed","reader_fit":["Readers interested in ancient Roman travel and tourism","Readers who enjoy humorous historical travel accounts"],"themes":["Ancient Roman tourism","Travel through the Roman Empire","Ancient history"],"tropes":[]},"source_presence":{"amazon":true,"book_detail":true,"goodreads":true,"llm_signals":true,"similarity_seed":true},"stats":{"amazon_ratings_count":0,"goodreads_ratings_count":554,"goodreads_reviews_count":75,"quality_score":0.8976}}