Book Announcements and Releases


*Covers*		*Titles and Descriptions*
		The Archives of Vatoussa: 1733-1912 by Christos Stavrakoglou This 654-page masterpiece, printed in Greek (with English translation of forward), offers a significance new resource on rural island history in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is the culmination of a decade of research and transcription of hand-written documents by one of the most respected and well-known independent scholars of Lesvos, Christos Stavrakoglou. Archives of Vatoussa offers an unprecedented insight into the daily activities of a number of generations of islanders. Their experiences and struggles come alive in dowry-contracts, wills, proceedings of the dimogerontes, financial transactions of the local Church, official village correspondence, and other original documents. Read more.
		Loose Weather by Robert Herschbach This "fine debut collection" of poems by Robert Herschbach was the recipient of the 2-13 Jean Feldman Poetry Prize awarded by Washington Writers' Publishing House. It "interweaves empirical observation with history, politics and myth. The resulting poems are lyrical yet ambitious in scope, sarching out the root existential questions underlying our engagement with the world. With precise language and an artist's eye for visual detail, this poet investigates the nature of explroation--geographical, cultural, psychological, erotic--as well as its consequences, whether unintended or longed-for. Read more.
		Why Don't We Just Sue the British Museum? A Litigator's Perspective on the Elgin-Parthenon Marbles Debate by Michael J. Reppas, II, Esq. "The 'Elgin Marbles' debate has raged ever since [their looting by Lord Elgin in the 1800s] and the Parthenon Sculptures have become a symbol of pain and exploitation. Artifact-rich countries around the world identify this theft as the foremost example of 19th century looting of art and artifacts. The return of this looted cultural property to Greece is a global concern for all people who have had their cultural treasures stripped from them; and is a problem that has been ignored for far too long. Read more.
		Genocide of the Ottoman Greeks. Studies on the State Sponsored Campaign of Extermination of the Christians of Asia Minor (1912-1922) and Its Aftermath: History, Law, Memory. Edited by Tessa Hofmann, Matthias Bjornlund and Vasileios Meichanetsidis "The period of transition from the collapse of the Ottoman Empire to the foundation of the Turkish Republic was characterized by a number of processes largely guided by a narrow elite that aimed to construct a modern, national state. One of these processes was the deliberate and planned elimination, indeed extermination, of the Christian (and certain other) minorities. According to demographic studies, the numbers are stark: In 1912 the areas of Asia Minor and Thrace were inhabited by about 4-5 million Christians and 7-8 million Muslims; by 1923 only 250-300,000 Christians remained. . . . This volume therefore represents an effort to provide an outline and a direction of a more extensive study of the deliberate destruction and elimination of a Greek presence that spanned over three millennia, in the space that became the Turkish Republic." It includes "contributions on the areas subtitled: Historical Overview, Documentation, Interpretation; Representations and Law; Genocide Education; Memorialization; Conceptualization; and a very extensive Bibliography." Read more.
		Dance of Zalongo by Christos Papoutsy Papoutsy delves into the history of the Dance of Zalongo, its significance for Greece, its place in the struggle for freedom. This pivotal moment has been preserved for posterity through art, film, music and dance. The bravery of the Souliot women who jumped to their death rather than become Muslim slaves left an indelible mark on the Western world. "Liberty or Death!" has been their rallying cry, echoing throughout history. Click here to see book flyer (110 KB, set printer to "landscape" format).
		The Mystical as Political. Democracy and Non-Radical Orthodoxy by Aristotle Papanikolaou Theosis, or the principle of divine-human communion, sparks the theological imagination of Orthodox Christians and has been historically important to questions of political theology. In The Mystical as Political: Democracy and Non-Radical Orthodoxy, Aristotle Papanikolaou argues that a political theology grounded in the principle of divine-human communion must be one that unequivocally endorses a political community that is democratic in a way that structures itself around the modern liberal principles of freedom of religion, the protection of human rights, and church-state separation. Read more.
		Speaking to God by Archbishop Demetrios Speaking to God is a collection of over seventy prayers written by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America. The book was originally written in Greek in the 1960s. In its third edition in Greek (2010), the book has been recently translated into English and was released by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America on October 15. An ebook edition will follow later this year. In addressing the focus of the book in the Introduction, Archbishop Demetrios states, “We should speak to God. We should present our problems to Jesus. We should set in front of Him our hard times and our disappointments. We should place our plans, our worries, and desires in His hands. This is the meaning and message that this book wishes to bring to the world.” Read more.
		Before the Silence: Archival New Reports of the Christian Holocaust That Begs to Be Remembered by Sofia Kontogeorge Kostos "This is the author’s first book in documenting the Genocides of Christians who lived in the Ottoman Empire covering the period 1822-1926 with 1922 containing the largest number of news reports. The book is a collection of newspaper articles organized chronologically from a diverse range of English-speaking newspapers from as far as Japan and Australia showing the destruction of the Christian populations domiciled in Asia Minor. Whilst there are numerous books written on the Armenian Genocide, however, the research on the Greeks and Assyrians has been overlooked largely by historians. . . . The book captures the brutalization, torture, starvation and state-sanctioned murder of ordinary people". . . by using contemporary "news articles as a primary source." Read more.
		A Festival of Greek Flavors: A Mediterranean Culinary Adventure by Greek Orthodox Philoptochos Society of Assumption Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Denver This cookbook offers chefs of all skill levels delectable Greek recipes that have been handed down for generations or recently modernized. All proceeds from the cookbook will benefit the numerous philanthropic activities of the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society of Denver. The book is a true work of art, packed with more than 175 Greek recipes and featuring stunning photography. Recipes are broken into nine categories, making it simple to plan a delicious Mediterranean meal for any occasion.The cookbook also includes recipes that take 30 minutes or less for the busy cook, wine pairing suggestions from a Greek sommelier, historical information about the recipes and ingredients as well as cultural information about the Greek community of Denver. Read more.
		Uncertain Journey by James Rouman In his quest of a promising future, Rejep encournters unexpected problems after he flees his home in Albania. Uncertain Journey is the story of the challenges he faces as an illegal alien in places where he is unwanted. This fast-paced novel introduces the reader to a remarkable woman who helps him against the wishes of her Greek-Ameridan family--and to a host of memorable characters who live in the condominium where he works anonymously, until his world, once thought secure, begins to unravel. Read more.
		Greece: The Hidden Hidden Centuries by David Brewer Brewer hits upon the central dilemma of historiography. If we don’t have an opinion about past events, knowing them is pointless; but we cannot come to know them until we put our opinions aside. The question of how history should be taught arises particularly in the long and violent relationship between Greeks and Turks. Brewer’s warning is a reaction to a recent attempt by the Greek curriculum to over-purge a sixth form textbook of gory detail. But such political correctness runs a risk of doing exactly what it is trying to overcome – the mythologizing of history through the purging of facts. In Greece, The Hidden Centuries, Brewer exemplifies how history should be taught. He neither sanitises nor takes an overall standpoint on what he knows well to be a highly controversial era. The almost four century-long tourkokratia, or Turkish domination, is the darkest period in Greek history. Read full review by John Psaropoulos of The New Athenian blog.
		That Greece Might Still Be Free by William St. Clair The clash of European and Greek cultures that emasculated the Philhellenic movement as an effective military force, and Byron’s attempts to redeem it, form the core of William St Clair’s classic account of the Greek War of Independence, That Greece Might Still Be Free, recently reissued by OpenBooks, which usefully also provides a searchable online text of its publications. The 1972 account sees the revolution in terms of the dichotomy between Europeanised Greeks and Philhellenes, who sought the regeneration of Classical Greece, and the newly liberated Greeks, who were unconscious of cultural continuity and served feudal captains intent on carving Greece up into autonomous fiefdoms. Read full review by John Psaropoulos The New Athenian blog.
		The Crimson Knight by Demetrious Glimidakis The Crimson Knight takes the reader into the Christian Fiction/Fantasy realm, where the readers will find themselves associating with the struggles and battles of its main character - Sabastian. Sabastian is taken from his home by warriors from the Dragon King’s land. He faces challenges and difficulties that he had never faced before - alone, but is he truly alone? Overcoming his own fears and demons, and surviving. Deep in Sabastian's heart there burns a poisonous hatred and desire for revenge against the people who killed his family. He tries to serve The Knight who is the Light but seems to constantly fail and succumb to the violence of his new identity. But faith may find him when he least expects it, and salvation may be the only thing left worth fighting for. Read more.
		Ancient Greece: A History in Eleven Cities by Paul Cartledge ". . .Cartledge has selected a handful of . . . poleis in his book entitled “Ancient Greece: A History of Eleven Cities”. Presented in chronological order, these entities . . . [serve] as an introduction to the rich history of Greek civilization, [and] this title offers a profile of each of these diverse cities, separated by not only geography, but in most instances, centuries as well . . . . To have limited the number of cities to this select few must have been a daunting task, especially since there were so many to choose from. However, Cartledge’s choices have exemplified the themes that were integral to ancient Greek civilization. . . ." More details about book. Read entire review by John Trikeriotis.
		The Battle of Marathon by Peter Krentz How did the city-state of Athens defeat the invaders from Persia, the first world empire, on the plain of Marathon in 490 BCE? Clever scholars skeptical of our earliest surviving source, Herodotus, have produced one ingenious theory after another. In this stimulating new book, bound to provoke controversy, Peter Krentz argues that Herodotus was right after all. Beginning his analysis with the Athenians’ first formal contact with the Persians in 507 BCE, Krentz weaves together ancient evidence with travelers’ descriptions, archaeological discoveries, geological surveys, and the experiences of modern reenactors and soldiers to tell his story. More details about book. Read review by John Trikeriotis.
		Ecumenical Patriarchate of Orthodox Christianity Under Siege by Christos Papoutsy This book covers the history of the Theological School, from the time of its founding in 1844 through 1971, when the school was closed by the Turkish Government. Despite occasional promises by Turkish authorities to reopen the facility, the school has remained closed. Built on the site of the Halkitou Monastery (est. 809), the school has a rich history and has trained important Orthodox scholars and many Ecumenical Patriarchs. Papoutsy delves into the legal and human rights violations over its closure and includes published points-of-view from the Turkish side. Read more.
		The Lion and the Nurse by Patty Apostolides This love story is about Cassiani, a nurse, who returns to the Greek island of Kos, to help her ailing mother. Her mother is a widow, who takes care of a rich woman on the island, Mrs. Lukas. Rich descriptions of the island where Hippocrates taught abound in this story. Cassiani is talked into also nursing Mrs. Lukas, who is matchmaking her handsome nephew Leo, to the doctor's daughter. Meanwhile, Cassiani's mother is trying to match make Cassiani with Leo. Among this hilarious matchmaking comedy, Cassiani inevitably falls in love with Leo. Experienced in saving other people's lives, she witnesses her own near-death experience, and is saved by the power of love. Learn more.
		The Greeks of Today 1907 by George Horton George Horton served as the American Consul General in Smyrna during the heinous events of 1922. Following the Turkish burning of the city and massive American rescue efforts, Horton returned to the U.S. and lectured widely. In this volume, his speech about the accomplishments of Modern Greeks and their struggles to overcome adversity, is a delight. Of interest in this reprint edition is the generous inclusion of supplementary biographical data on persons mentioned in the lecture and reactions in the American press to Horton's appearances across the country. Read more.
		The Greek-Turkish War 1919-23: An Australian Press Perspective by Stavros Stavridis This book describes different facets of the Greek-Turkish conflict through the eyes of two Melbourne newspapers: The Age and Argus. There were times when the Melbourne press favored the Greek and opposed the Turks. It also outlines the role that the Australian press played in the development of Australian nationalism and identity. Read More.
		The Rage of Achilles by Terence Hawkins Blood. Guts. Pride. Wrath. The ancient clash of armies outside the walls of Troy is a cornerstone of Western literature. In The Rage of Achilles, Terence Hawkins brilliantly reimagines that titanic encounter. His stunningly original telling captures the brutality of the battlefield, the glory and the gore, in language that never relents. For more information about the book or to order a copy click here.
		Legacy of Achievement Edited by Rev. Dr. George Dion Dragas This festal volume, produced to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the consecration of Metropolitan Methodios to the Episcopate, offers a brief history of the Metropolis of Boston, focusing on its first metropolitan Methodios of Boston, and his legacy of achievement. It also includes a selection of addresses, sermons, homilies and interviews of the metropolitan. A substantial number of academic contributions by the faculty members of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, as well as other distinguished academics from Constantinople, Greece and the United States. Read press release for anniversary reception and presentation of volume. For more information about the book or to order a copy, click here.
		First and Second Corinthians: A Study of Paul's Letters by Barbara Pappas This book is a verse-by-verse commentary on the letters Paul wrote to the Christians of Corinth in the first century, when the Church was new. Amazingly, the questions of faith those early Christians struggled with are strikingly similar to those of our time, and Paul's advice to them is just as timely now as it was then. Read more about book.
		War, Suffering, and Tea on the Porch: Sarah Rees' Review of Riggs' A History of Anatolia College: 1933-1950. A History of Anatolia College: 1933-1950 details the years that Alice S Riggs spent at the school while her husband Ernest Riggs served as its president. Founded in 1886 by US missionaries, the Thessaloniki school is now considered one of the best secondary schools in Greece. Due to the outbreak of the Second World War, Riggs' years at the school were turbulent ones. Her memoir tracks the buildup to the war, as well as its aftermath and impact on the school and Greece. The historical coincidence of Riggs' presence at the school when the war began turns what would be an upbeat but bland memoir into a compelling piece of social history, giving the reader a glimpse into the realities of the war in Greece. Full text of review. Read more about book and other reviews of it.
		Footsteps Through Athina: A Traveler's Guide to Athens and Greek Culture by Angelyn Balodimas-Bartolomei, Ph.D This comprehensive and informative guide to the original City of Democracy will help you navigate the neighborhoods, streets and landmarks like a native - including sights often overlooked by most visitors. Readers discover the rich Greek culture that has influenced the Western world. Includes Greek phrases and a culture chapter. Read more.
		Code Burgundy: The Long Escape by John Katsaros Surviving a B-17 bailout in 1944 over France, airman, John Katsaros is captured by the Gestapo. Then he is rescued by the French underground in what begins a perilous quest for freedom through France and Spain. His detailed account unfolds a true story of grit, grace, and pure luck, a story resurrected by the author after being sworn to secrecy by the US government for 60 years. Read more.
		Other Candle Lights. Poems by John Manesis John Manesis, a retired physician, explores memory in Other Candle Lights, including themes related to his Greek American heritage and medical career. The poetry features a range of characters, from the well-known, like Elia Kazan and George Vizyenos, to everyday people whose voices speak to us. Many of the poems examine the island lore of his ancestors, immigrants' departures and returns, and their American experience. Learn more.
		Eurydice Street By Sofka Zinovieff This was Sofka Zinovieff's first sight of the view from Eurydice Street. It was so irresistible that she and her husband immediately knew that they would make their home there. Sofka had fallen in love with Greece as a student, but little suspected that years later she would return for good with an expatriate Greek husband and two young daughters. This book is a wonderfully fresh, funny, and inquiring account of her first year as an Athenian. The whole family have to get to grips with their new life and identities: the children start school and tackle a new language, and Sofka's husband, Vassilis, comes home after half a lifetime away. Meanwhile, Sofka resolves to get to know her new city and become a Greek citizen, which turns out to be a process of Byzantine complexity. Read more, click here
		Regional Greek Cooking By Dean and Catherine Karayanis The recipes in this volume reflect the diverse culinary tradition of Greek cooking, which has been enriched by such influences as the Arabic tastes of North Africa and the cuisine of the Sephardic Jews of Spain. Featured dishes include long-time favorites Kleftiko ke Marouli (Roast Lamb with Lettuce Salad), and Youvarlakia (Meatballs and Rice in Avgolemono Soup), as well as more distinct fare like Calamari Gemista Aphrodite (Aphrodite Stuffed Squid) and Asatakou Paros (Lobster Paros). Read full release
no image available		More Than a Cookbook, It's a Gift of Love for Special Occasions and Beyond: A Review of Dorothy Bezemes' From Our Hearts to Your Table: Favorite Recipes from a Greek-American Family By Chicago Sun Staff From Our Hearts to Your Table: Favorite Recipes from a Greek American Family, by Chicagoan Dorothy Bezemes, is a spiral-bound collection of more than 200 recipes--and more. It delightfully chronicles the memories of Bezemes' upbringing in Western Nebraska, the youngest of eight American-born children of Greek immigrants, and the many family traditions that continued among herself, her siblings and the generations to follow as they left the farm for Chicago and other American cities. It's the blending of her Greek heritage and the American rural and urban melting pot in which she's lived--both in the stories Bezemes shares and in the recipes she includes--that make this book truly unique. Read entire review.
		Two Masters of Allusion: A Review of Ryszard Kapuscinski's Travels with Herodotus By Jonathan Carr The last major work to be published by Ryszard Kapuscinski, the Polish-born aficionado of trouble spots (he reported on 27 coups and revolutions around the world) is an account of his gratitude to the man he revered as his teacher and guide, the "wise, experienced Greek"--Herodotus. In Travels with Herodotus we are treated not just to a beguiling weave of the political and military machinations of ancient Greece and the second half of the 20th century that is in itself unique but also to an intelligent inquiry into what Kapuscinski has elsewhere dubbed the "mystery of history." The book is an affirmation, at times a defence, of his lifelong journalistic principles. Early on, we are reminded that he grew up in a totalitarian state where there was an "obsession with allusion" and he is quick to state that his idol from Halicarnassus was a master of the art. Read entire review.
		God and the Problem of Evil: Socratic Dialogues on Theodicy by Tolly Kizilos “Why does a loving, omnipotent God allow evil to exist?” This question arises when we witness evil, or when evil is debated by theists and atheists as they defend or attack faith in God. The answer for believers is called a "theodicy," i.e. justification of God. The book explores all the major theodicies proposed by great Christian theologians and others. A courtroom investigation is set up, creating an exciting primer for readers. More information.
		Ships of Mercy By Christos Papoutsy This book reveals the true heroes of Smyrna, forgotten by history. It's based on more than ten years of research by the Papoutsys who travelled around the globe to document the rescue of hundreds of thousands of Greek refugees on the Smyrna quay in September 1922. After more than a decade of preparation, this book discloses surprising answers, and previously unpublished photos and exhibits. Additional details available. Click here for order form
		Remember Us By Jason C. Mavrovitis Remember Us begins in the late nineteenth century Balkans - a time of exploding nationalism. The Ottoman Empire is in its death throes, and in Macedonia, Greek and Bulgarian irregulars pursue guerrilla warfare and ethnic cleansing to achieve their territorial ambitions. The Balkan and First World Wars loom in the future. Eleni, born in Sozopolis, a small Greek city on the coast of the Black Sea, clutches her baby girl and sees her husband killed in a pogrom instigated by Bulgarian nationalists. Click here to read more. To view and download book announcement click here (pdf file)
		Underwater Dreams: A Modern Greek Tragedy By Dr. James Rouman When Dr. Leo Sarris successfully resuscitates a moribund newborn after a difficult delivery at Hamilton General Hospital, he can not possibly know how his world will be torn apart by the boy whose life he saves. In Underwater Dreams, James Rouman has written a fast-paced novel by blending elements of drama and romance. Click here to read more.
		Konstantinoupoli: Poli ton Pothon [City of Man's Desire, A Novel of Constantinople] By Cornelia Golna Constantinople 1908. Even as the Ottoman Empire’s cosmopolitan capital teeters on the brink of upheaval, the Greek girl Theodora’s concerns center around her family and thwarted infatuations. Then the flamboyant Russian exile Natalya Petrovna and her brother Vlad enter her life. Their disturbing presence, coinciding with the rebellion of the Young Turks, draws Theodora into an unfamiliar, volatile world. Revolutions take people by surprise; they raise hopes by promising change. City of Man’s Desire recounts how the lives of several individuals intertwine as they struggle to adapt to a new reality that, despite the designs of men, follows its own unpredictable course. Read about Greek edition, recently published in Greece. Click here to read review of English edition.
		Poetry by Chrishoula Demetrakakis A book of more than 100 poems, arranged in three sections: "Wings and Storms," "Crete of My Dreams," and "Sea of My Soul" Read more
		Fratzeska by Chrishoula Demetrakakis Beyond good and bad. Beyond human weakness. A story whose characters, just as the lifegiving Grandmother of all people, reconcile with catastrophe and advance in her life with heart and soul. Fratzeska is a universal legend of how at the brink of disaster, the most logical countermeasure can be launched. Read More
		A Parnassian Chronicle--Book Review of Pyrofani Poems by Jonathan Carr Parnassian amanuensis of the Pyrofani Poems, is an original bon viveur of the verse form. Taken together, these poems tell the tale of a single restaurant (in itself perhaps a literary first) over an eight-year period from 1997 to 2005. Once established as the local laureate, he wrote and performed other occasional poems - for fun, for birthdays, to mark important events and to explore a multiplicity of approaches to life. Read full review.
		Ecclesia, Greek Orthodox Churches of the Chicago Metropolis By Panos Fiorentinos Featuring more than 400 color photographs of all 59 Greek Orthodox Churches in the six Midwest states that comprise the Chicago Metropolis, this one-of-a-kind art and history book, by Panos Fiorentinos, chronicles for the first time the expansion of the Greek Orthodox religion in the Midwest. Read more
		Spectators Photographs by Ilias Bourgiotis. Essay by George Vecsey. greekworks.com announces the publication of Spectators. This collection of photographs by Ilias Bourgiotis, his first to be published in the United States, is accompanied by a perceptive and moving essay, “Modern Pilgrims”—written especially for this volume by the renowned journalist George Vecsey—which is both a generous reconsideration of the 2004 Athens Olympics and a rare homage to Greece. Read more.
		The Afghan Campaign by Steven Pressfield Bestselling novelist of ancient warfare Steven Pressfield returns with a riveting historical novel that re-creates a campaign that eerily foreshadows the tactics, terrors, and frustrations of contemporary conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Read more.
		Greece, The Next 300 Years by Stephen Tzikas Greece, The Next 300 Years provides a comprehensive look at what author Tzikas believes Greece and the world will be like over the next 300 years. The book explores a variety of possible scenarios. Read more.
		North of Ithaka: A Journey Home Through a Family's Extraordinary Past by Eleni Gage Leaving behind a sparkling social life and a successful journalism career, Eleni Gage moved from New York City to the remote Greek village of Lia. Lia is the same village where her father was born and her grandmother murdered, and which her father, Nicholas Gage, made famous twenty years ago with his international bestseller Eleni. Part travel memoir and part family saga, North of Ithaka is, above all, a journey home. Read more.
		Boardroom Excellence A Commonsense Perspective on Corporate Governance by Paul P. Brountas Massive debt that is not reflected on the balance sheet, cooked books and phantom revenue, skyrocketing executive compensation...these are just a few of the business tactics practiced by many unscrupulous corporations. If companies and their directors are to regain and maintain the confidence of consumers and investors, they must put in place effective corporate governance practices. In Boardroom Excellence, author Paul Brountas, a corporate attorney with more than forty years experience, discusses the qualities and components of effective boards in today's post-Enron. Written in a concise format, the book is filled with informative practical advice for board members of private, public, and non-profit organizations. Click here to read more
Cover image not available		The History of Greek Americans of Cleveland Ohio Since 1870 by Mike Vasilakes and Themistocles Rodis, Ph.D. Greek Americans of Cleveland Since 1870, a 416-page history of Greek immigrants who settled in Cleveland (Ohio), traces the lives of the first immigrants to settle in this area, life in communes, the nomadic search for work, the establishment of the first businesses, and the creation and growth of the first Greek Orthodox Church Community and those that followed. The book is now available from The Hellenic Preservation Society of Northeastern Ohio, an expanded and upgraded version of an earlier book that was published in 1984. Read more.
		Surveillance in Greece by Minas Samatas, Ph.D. The variety of growing surveillance in contemporary Greece reflects the remarkable socioeconomic, political, and cultural changes in the post dictatorial Greek state and society. In fact, modernization, democratization, Europeanization, and globalization of the Greek state and society is reflected in the technological, legislative, and institutional modernization of surveillance in Greece whose people are now subjects of a galaxy of multiple electronic surveillance by the state and surprastate. This study, considering surveillance, either by the state or by the market, as a basic sociopolitical control mechanism, examines four surveillance periods in Greece; these periods reflect the changing sociopolitical control system from post-Civil War Greece up to the present, just before the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. Read more.
		Greece: Books and Writers by the Greek National Book Centre of the Greek Ministry of Culture This is a free, multipart, beautifully illustrated publication by the Greek government.The National Book Centre brought togehter the wealth, the immense variety and the unbroken continuity of Greek literature in this special volume, which provides a comprehensive introduction to Greek literature and a chronicle of Greek history. The history of Greece as seen from the perspective of its books and writers is the subject of this work whose principal aim is to guide the reader through the key moments in this literature and to acquaint him or her with the men and women who moulded the Greek language into literary form. It attempts to describe the special qualities of this literature, its moments of innovation and originality, as well as its place in the European literary tradition and in the major literary and intellectual currents that have shaped the modern world. Read more and download all parts of book (4-part, large PDF files).
		Leadership Through Strategic Planning by Annabel Beerel, Ph.D. Leadership Through Strategic Planning aspires to provide a fresh look at the well-known topics of leadership and strategic planning. Many of the concepts and issues discussed in this book have been written about by others. What makes this book unique is not only the new ideas and perspectives, but the way in which the themes have been synthesized and converted into practical ideas for the management of organizations click here to read more
		Foreign Words by Vassilis Alexakis; translation by Alyson Waters Foreign Words is an invitation au voyage from Paris where the narrator lives, to Greece where he grew up, and where his father has just died, to the Central African Republic as he undertakes the learning of Sango. Written by Alexakis in French and published as Les mots étrangers (Editions Stock, 2002), the book was subsequently translated by the author into his native Greek as Oi xenes lexeis. In 2004 it was awarded the Greek prize for best novel of the year. Click here to read more.
		An International Relations Debacle: The UN Secretary-General's Mission of Good Offices in Cyprus 1999-2004 by Claire Palley This book is a case study in international relations and contemporary history, as seen from the standpoint of a constitutional, international and human rights lawyer involved in 25 years of negotiations to agree on a federation reuniting the divided Island of Cyprus. Based for the most part on personal knowledge, the writer describes recent international attempts to settle the long-standing disputes over Cyprus and provides a warning to those who invoke UN “good offices” machinery of risks they run. Click here to read more.
		Marathon By W. William Winokur From the concrete canyons of lower Manhattan to the ruins of Ancient Greece, Marathon is a tour de force by a new voice in American fiction. In this impressive, multi-layered debut, based on a true story, W. William Winokur takes the reader on a journey that is at once historical, philosophical and spiritual in order to learn exactly what gives a life meaning.Framed by the story of Pheidippides’ celebrated run from Marathon to Athens, the novel is steeped in mythology and mystery. Winokur ponders the essential questions of life and death, the intersection of past and present, the struggle of duty versus passion, all while exploring one woman’s discovery of herself through ancient myths, lost journals, impossible loves, and timeless souls. Click here to read more.
Cover image not available		The History of the Greek Church in America in Acts and Documents by Paul G. Manolis Peter Haikalis, Ph.D. writes that this tri-volume set is a monumental work, published in three massive volumes. Long awaited, it is a landmark publication of the history of the church, definitive in many ways. The publication of this history is the culmination of many years of work and research by Manolis who collected documents from the Archives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Greek Foreign Ministry, the Church of Greece, the Greek Archdiocese and other sources. He then describes the documents and assembles them in an order so that the reader can follow the development of the church from its earliest days in the United States. This is a work should be in the library of every Greek Orthodox parish, in libraries at universities offering a religious studies program and in the personal libraries of all those interested in the Church and its historical development in the United States. Read more.
		The Ghosts of Plaka Beach: a True Story of Murder and Retribution in Wartime Greece by Stylianos Perrakis, Ph.D. Sixty years after the end of World War II Stylianos (Stelios) Perrakis, Greek-born finance professor, went back to Greece to investigate a traumatic event in his family’s history that colored his childhood years. The circumstances surrounding the kidnapping and murder of his maternal uncle by a Communist death squad in May 1944 were cloaked in mystery, never discussed openly by family members. Using trial transcripts, interviews with survivors and with people involved in the kidnapping, and such primary materials as unpublished diaries and family correspondence, Perrakis managed to document the full sequence of events that led up to this family tragedy. He then widened his focus to draw out the implications of this particular event, painting an intimate picture of a prosperous middle-class provincial world faced with extraordinary challenges that it was unable to overcome. Click here to read more.
		Encountering Women of Faith: The St. Catherine's Vision, Vol. 1 Edited by Kyriaki Karidoyanes FitzGerald, Ph.D. Encountering Women of Faith is co-authored by members of the Board of St. Catherine’s Vision, a group of women theologians seeking to serve God with all their mind, heart and strength. This book is pivotal in its inspiring presentation of women saints. Each chapter is written from a carefully explored theological, spiritual and contemporary perspective. Click here to read more.
		The Spirit of Kalivas Park [Manchester, NH] By Spiros Plentzas and Dr. Chris Kehas At last there is a nicely written account of the creation and dedication of Kalivas Park in Manchester, NH, a site dedicated to the memory of Christos Kalivas, the first Greek-American from Manchester killed in World War I. One of his fellow combatants, Chris Agrafiotis, formed a committee of WWI veterans of Greek descent and worked tirelessly with city and federal officials to develop a fitting tribute to the sacrifice of Kalivas and all Greek-Americans from Manchester. The establishment of the park was well researched, and the account includes copies of relevant documents and photos from the dedicatory ceremonies. But what sets this book apart from others of its kind, is the additional research conducted, placing the founding of the park within the broader history of the local Greek community. Click here to read more.
		City of Man's Desire, A Novel of Constantinople By Cornelia Golna Constantinople 1908. Even as the Ottoman Empire’s cosmopolitan capital teeters on the brink of upheaval, the Greek girl Theodora’s concerns center around her family and thwarted infatuations. Then the flamboyant Russian exile Natalya Petrovna and her brother Vlad enter her life. Their disturbing presence, coinciding with the rebellion of the Young Turks, draws Theodora into an unfamiliar, volatile world. Revolutions take people by surprise; they raise hopes by promising change. City of Man’s Desire recounts how the lives of several individuals intertwine as they struggle to adapt to a new reality that, despite the designs of men, follows its own unpredictable course. Read entire release, including book review. See Greek edition above.
		100 Years of Faith and Fervor By Constantine Skedros When immigrant laborers from Greece arrived in Utah in the early 1900s they were persecuted, ridiculed and regarded as unsavory interlopers. Yet they persevered. With their Greek Orthodox Church serving as the catalyst, they were driven by a fervent hope of proving their children an opportunity to experience a better life. Today, first and second generation Greek-Americans whose roots are in the thriving Salt Lake Greek community are the beneficiaries of that legacy, including many who are prominent in business, political, social, educational, ecumenical, legal and medical circles locally and nationally.That evolution is chronicled in 100 Years of Faith and Fervor. Click here to read entire release.
		A War Like No Other By Victor D. Hanson One of our most provocative military historians, Victor Davis Hanson has given us painstakingly researched and pathbreaking accounts of wars ranging from classical antiquity to the twenty-first century. Now he juxtaposes an ancient conflict with our most urgent modern concerns to create his most engrossing work to date, A War Like No Other. The Hellenic city-states of Athens and Sparta fought a bloody conflict that resulted in the collapse of Athens and the end of its golden age. Hanson offers readers something new: a complete chronological account that reflects the political background of the time, the strategic thinking of the combatants, the misery of batle in multi-faceted theaters, and important insight into how these events echo in the present. Click here to read entire release.
		Sister of Darkness By Lili Bita From chilhood on an idyllic Greek island to coming of age in a world torn by war to entrapment and final escape from a brutal marriage, Sister of Darkness is the powerful story of a woman's journey of self-discovery and personal liberation. Through the saga of her own life, Lili Bita expresses the quest of a generation for freedom, and the ongoing struggle of women everywhere against violence and oppression. Sister of Darkness is destined to be a feminist classic. To read entire release, click here.
Cover image not yet available		A Fitting Tribute to Venizelos--a Brief Review of Eleftherios Venizelos and His Era By Basil Mathiopoulos of Athens News Eleftherios Venizelos and His Era is not merely a chronological narrative. It does track Venizelos' life from his birth in 1864 until his death in 1936. But its value lies in that it is possibly the first Greek analysis of the shaping of Venizelos' political personality by the events of his time, beginning with the uprising of 1866 in the Cretan polity. To read entire review, click here.
		Books Published by The Athens News-- click here to see entire, separate list.
		Dictionary of Greek Orthodoxy By Nicon Patrinacos Highly recommended for Orthodox Christians who are interested in a greater and deeper knowledge of their faith. Contains a wealth of theological information and inspirational explanations compiled as an encyclopedic dictionary. An English-Greek index makes it easy to look up key words. For more information, click here.
		Arcadia, My Arcadia By Nicholas Kokonis Arcadia, My Arcadia chronicles the personal odyssey of a bright, sensitive and determined country boy, Angelos Vlahos, in the stone years following the German Occupation and the Civil War. Destitute, Angelos nurses a dream: To leave the dusty poverty of his nameless village in the folks of the somber Arcadian mountains for the big city and beyond in order to help his destitute family. Atlas carried the world. Will Angelos be able to carry his whole family across the Egypt of their misery to the new Promised Land? Written in praise of the common men and women of the world, Arcadia, My Arcadia is, above all, a poignant, elegantly written story that will break your heart as well as warm it. It makes a gift of lasting value for those you love not only during the holiday season but always. (Read more.)
		Deadline in Athens An Inspector Costas Haritos Mystery By Petros Markaris Witty, smart, and riveting at every turn, Deadline in Athens immerses us in the grit and heat of modern-day Athens and the strange politics of a country still straining under change. "For crime aficionados who like nothing better after a long hard day than to jump into bed with a big, fat, juicy murder....(Deadline in Athens) unalloyed pleasure, with (an) intricate plot that satisfyingly unravels its secrets in well-timed surprises until the very last page." For more information click here.
		The Athenian Murders By Jose Carlos Somoza Intriguing, ingenious, and mordantly funny, The Athenian Murders intertwines two darkly compelling riddles, forcing us to confront the ways in which we interpret fact and fiction, and introduces a beguiling new talent to an American readership. For more information click here
		Confusing Words By Peter Kippling Soteres Confusing Words is a darkly comic novel tracking the fortunes of Fenix in the aftermath of the crash. Prodded into activity, he is slowly forced to recognize the unintended consequences of his actions and non-actions. The line between language and terrorism is crossed, and to escape Fenix must ultimately turn to a man who has every reason to hate him. To read entire annoucement, click here.
		The Virtues of War By Steven Pressfield The Virtues of War marks Steven Pressfield's return to the world of his international bestsellers Gates of Fire and Tides of War. Filled with meticulously researched details and told from the point of view of Alexander the Great himself, here is a novel as intensely gripping as bulletins from the battlefield and as intimately revealing as a private diary. For more information click here.
		Tsarouchis, the Face of Modern Greece By Sylvester and Orphanos. A folio in celebration of Greece's greatest modern artist, Yannis Tsarouchis. With tributes by world-renowned authors and artists and a preface by Melina Mercouri. Printed by letterpress on heavyweight somerset paper in a signed-limted edition, the text, along with 36 large color plates, are laid into an elaborate portfolio designed by the artist. For more information, click here.
		The Mechanism of Catastrophe The Turkish Pogrom of September 6-7, 1955, and The Destruction of the Greek Community of Istanbul By Speros Vryonis, Jr., Ph.D. This spring, 50 years after the tragic events that devastated the Greeks of Turkey's greatest city, greekworks.com has published The Mechanism of Catastrophe: The Turkish Pogrom of September 6-7, 1955, and the Destruction of the Greek Community of Istanbul by Speros Vryonis, Jr. This monumental study of a decisive moment in modern Turkish and Greek history is the first work of its depth and range to be published on this critical subject in any language. Without a doubt, it will soon take its place as the definitive study of the violence it so meticulously describes and examines. For more information click here.
		Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea. Why Greeks Matter By Thomas Cahill In Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea, his forth volume to explore "the hinges of history," Thomas Cahill escorts the reader on another entertaining and historically unassailable-journey throughthe landmarks of art and bloodshed that defined Greek culture nearly three millennia ago. For more information click here.
		A Guide to Greek Traditions and Customs in America, 2nd Edition by Marilyn Rouvelas Since its original publication in 1993, A Guide to Greek Traditions and Customs in America has become a bestseller and a standard reference, The new second edition includes the basic text of the first edition with its clear, understandable explanations of the traditions of Greek Orthodoxy and the meaning behind them. Two new chapters have been added to the book. Read more.
		Smyrna: The Destruction of a City by Marjorie Housepian Dobkin Smyrna 1922: The Destruction of a City, serves as a reminder that the mistakes and tragedies of history continue to affect us. This stunning and well-written book by Dobkin helps to fill the information gap for Greek-Americans and Greek generations of the Diaspora. To be sure, Smyrna 1922: The Destruction of a City is not the only text written about the Smyrna holocaust, but it is one of the most authoritative and critically acclaimed books ever penned on this subject. Read more.
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