Hiking Greece, Fall Fantasy Novels, Vintage Book Labels, Downton Sets & More: Endnotes 05 September

Every Friday, we celebrate the weekend — and all the reading and relaxing and daydreaming time ahead — with Melissa's favorite book- and travel-related links of the week. Why work when you can read fun stuff?!

This post is part of our Endnotes series.

The picturesque stone street above is located in Chios, the fifth-largest of the Greek islands. Chios is known for its medieval villages — like Pyrgi and Mesta — where you can take a leisurely stroll through the past. There’s also the UNESCO-protected Nea Moni Monastery, and the island’s famous mastic trees, which ‘weep’ a resin that’s been ‘prized since antiquity for its aromatic and healing properties.’ National Geographic has more fascinating detail on that. You might also take a hike along one of Chios’ stunning trails — find maps and details here and here. Want to explore other islands? Lonely Planet has 10 of the best hiking trails in Greece — and the BBC reports on a hiking trail that links 46 ancient Greek villages. There are guided trekking adventures on that trail coming up this fall and in spring 2026.

• Oooh, fun! Read an excerpt from Morgan Richter’s new thriller The Understudy about the dangerous relationship between an opera star and her understudy. The first line is a good one: ‘The first time my understudy tried to kill me was on the day we met.’ TELL ME MORE.

• These turn-of-the-20th-century photos are fantastic(al). ‘By the time of Albert Kahn’s death in 1940, the French banker and philanthropist had amassed a collection of more than 72,000 autochrome photographs. Grace Linden explores the Archives de la Planète — his sprawling, global project to document and preserve the fast-changing world — and uncovers a latent nostalgia in the hyperreal hues of early color photography.’

• Paste shares the most anticipated fantasy books of fall 2025.

• Whoa. 49 Literary Movies and TV Shows to Watch This Fall. (I could not be more excited about the new adaptation of Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley series. GIMME IT!)

• Related: I’m guessing you’ve seen this already, but just in case:

• And also related: The Holmfirth Book Festival imagines what it would be like to interview Emily Brontë about her debut novel Wuthering Heights today. Full marks for creativity.

• Last Brontë shout-out today: The new book Charlotte Brontë’s Life Through Clothes by Eleanor Houghton is available for pre-order. The Chawton House Library gives you a sneak peek inside the book.

• 7 Unusual Monasteries You Have To See To Believe.

• Here’s a fun bookish rabbit hole to explore: a gallery of vintage labels from businesses in the book trade, like printers, publishers, booksellers, and more.

• Must-click headline: Tour the French Riviera Through 15 Historic Villas. (The Villa Masséna in Nice might be my top pick today.)

• Enjoy a sneak peek of the sets for the new Downton Abbey movie.

• The ‘surprising history’ of the ice cream truck seems like a good story for the end of summer.

• Need a little meditative time? Relax with this essay The Museum of Color.

May you get lost in a great book this weekend.

Top image courtesy of Arzu Sendag/Unsplash.