Why are ruins so popular? What is it, exactly, that ruins evoke? Are they irrelevant piles of rocks, or the fabulous works of artists and scientists through the ages? This compilation of short stories and photo essays reflects on the compelling nature of the evocative places we call ruins.

Ruins: Stories and Photographs is the result of a shared trip to Greece and Turkey, and a collaboration of a writer and a photographer, a mother and a son. Centered on Delphi, Paros, and Ephesus, the stories and photographs resonate with each other and honor what is special about these unique places.

Ancient ruins are strange places in the 21st century. Visiting them, being haunted by them, puts a person in an enduring chain of travelers, full of curiosity, searching in a way that is wonderful and human.