The 100 best books of two centuries of modern Greek literature (1813 – 2013)

120 contemporary Greek writers choose

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In the period November – December 2013, a survey was conducted by Book Press and the bookstore Politia on the “100 best books of modern Greek literature written in the last two centuries (1813-2013)”.

The books were selected by 120 contemporary Greek authors who are listed below.

The authors were asked to rate the 20 books they rated as the best, always according to their reading preferences, their judgment of the influence they exerted, or other criteria that determined their choices. These books could include prose titles, novels or short stories, poetry collections (individual, collective or all) and plays.

The appearance is made with the books sorted alphabetically by the author of the work and not by the order of evaluation or number of preferences gathered by each title. In books that have been published in several editions, the editions that gather the preference of the reading public were selected.

Some books belonging to the 100 are not published independently, but together with other works such as: The sin of my mother Vizyinos, The courtyard of the miracles of Kabanellis, The twelve catalog of the plaster of Palamas, The bidet of Hakka.

Among the 100 best books belong separately three collections of poetry by Seferis that are no longer published independently and are: The turn, The novel, The deck diaries. All three are included in the publication of Seferis’s poems, which are also (as a total work) in the top 100 selections.

In as many books as there are many volumes, all the volumes have been registered (and especially when the choice is the author’s everything). So the following entries (in books) exceed in number 100 options. The exact list of 100 books selected is at the end of the article due to length.

Some conclusions We
hope that this research will be the trigger for fruitful discussions. It is, however, the first time, as far as we know, that the choices of living Greek writers in relation to their own tradition, their influences, their reading preferences are recorded in such a range.

In all the books

From a first processing of the data some simple data emerge. First of all, the total number of authors who have their books in the top 100 is only sixty-six (66), which is obviously due to the fact that many have more than one book (up to four, at most). Of these, forty-three (43) are predominantly prose writers, twenty-one (21) are predominantly poets, while only two (2) of them (Iakovos Kampanellis, Dimitris Dimitriadis) are predominantly playwrights. Out of the total of sixty six (66) writers, only seven (7) are women, with four (4) of them (Galanaki, Dimoula, Douka,

The living writers

The number of living authors included in the list of 100 books remained low (there are twelve (12) authors), but not insignificant. The number of their books amounts to fifteen (15), with Thanasis Valtinos being the only one who has more than one (four books in total). Out of the total of twelve (12) living writers, eight (8) are men and four (4) are women, while respectively eight (8) of the twelve are predominantly novelists (Valtinos, Vasilikos, Galanaki, Dimitriou , Douka, Zateli, Koumandareas, Chouliaras), the three (3) are predominantly poets (Ghana, Dimoula, Christianopoulos), and one (1) is predominantly a playwright (Demitriadis) but the book to which he owes his position of sixty-six (66) is a prose (I die as a country).

The “distinct cases”

Of the sixty six (66) writers, four (4) of them (Valtinos, Elytis, Kazantzakis, Seferis) are represented by four (4) different works, while six (6) of them (Vizyinos, Empirikos, Karagatsis, Karyotakis, Politis, Solomos) are represented with three (3) different works (the “works” include the selection of Everything, where it exists). Therefore, we could say that these ten (10) authors emerge as “distinct cases” in this great research. Of these, only Thanasis Valtinos is alive.

Of course, the number of books an author has in the top 100 is just one of the factors that reveals the degree of appreciation he enjoys in the conscience of the 120 contemporary authors who have submitted their preferences. Another is, of course, the multitude of selections he has gathered for one or more of his works. From this point of view, K.P. undoubtedly emerges as a big “winner”. Cavafy, who, mainly with the Poems (the “body” of poems that he preferred, that is) and much less with the Everything, gathered with a significant difference from the rest the most preferences. The only one who approaches him – the pre-eminent author of a book of our secretariat – is Aris Alexandrou with the Ark.

Surprises
Neither the first place of Cavafy, Alexandrou and Papadiamantis was a surprise, nor the strong presence of Thanassis Valtinos in the 100 best books was unexpected. Similarly, the strong presence of the two Nobel laureates was not a surprise, nor the resounding present figures such as Vizyinos, Solomos, Empirikos, Karyotakis, Kazantzakis, Karagatsis and others.

On the other hand, we have seen in the choices of many authors to register books which have been recognized by the Critics, in their time were read and discussed, but today do not have a strong imprint on the consciousness of a significant portion of the reading public. There are many such books in the 100, such as For example the leaf – The well – The announcement of Vassilis Vasilikos (to start with the living authors), The Crypt of E.X. Knees, The Balcony of Nikos Kahtitsis, The Wide River by Giannis Beratis, The Mouth of the Old Remington by Giannis Panos, The Dead and the Resurrection of Nikos Gabriel Pentzikis, The Funeral Home by Takis Sinopoulos, The Bides of Marie of George Winter, the Kerenia Doll of Konstantinos Christomanos etc.

Of the one hundred and twenty (120) authors who participated in our research submitting their selections, seventy-four (74) are men and forty-six (46) are women. The relatively increased presence of men in our “sample” is certainly not enough to explain the small presence of women writers (only 7 out of 66) in the list of 100 books.

The list of books

D / A – AUTHOR TITLE +
1 – ARIS ALEXANDER + BOX
2 – Manolis ANAGNOSTAKIS + poems
3 – MELPO AXIOTOU + DIFFICULT NIHTES
4 – THANASIS VALTINOS + H DESCENT OF NINE
5 – THANASIS VALTINOS + elements from the 60s
6 – THANASIS VALTINOS + SYNAXARI ANDREA KORDOPATI
7 – THANASIS VALTINOS + ORTHOKOSTA
8 – KOSTAS VARNALIS + THE LIGHT THAT IS BURNING
9 – VASILIS VASILIKOS + THE LEAF. THE WELL. T “AD
10 – ILIAS VENEZIS + AEOLIKI GI
11 – ILIAS VENEZIS + Number 31328
12 – GEORGE M. VIZYINOS + Neoellinika stories
13 – GEORGE M. VIZYINOS + sin OF MOTHER MY
14 – GEORGE M. VIZYINOS + THE ONLY OF LIFE OF THE TRAVEL
15 – REA GALANAKI + THE LIFE OF ISMAEL FERIK PASA
16 – MICHALIS GHANAS + GYALINA GIANNENA
17 – NIKOS GATSOS + AMORGOS
18 – E.X. GONATAS + H CACHE
19 – Dimitris Dimitriadis + die like COUNTRY
20 – SOTIRIS DIMITRIOY + NTIALITH “IM CHRISTAKI
21 – KIKI DIMOULA + Hail NEVER
22 – MARO DOUKA + ANCIENT RUST
23 – STRATIS DUKE + HISTORY A prisoner
24 – NICK EGGONOPOULOS + IN vALLEY WITH RODONES
25 – NICK EGGONOPOULOS + BOLIVAR
26 – ODYSSEAS ELYTIS + AXION ESTI
27 – ODYSSEAS ELYTIS TD Elegeia OF OXOPETRAS
28 – ODYSSEAS ELYTIS + POEMS 1911-1996
29 – ODYSSEAS ELYTIS + Maria Nefeli
30 – Andreas Embirikos + OKTANA
31 – Andreas Embirikos + HINTERLAND
32 – Andreas Embirikos + YPSIKAMINOS
33 – Zyranna Zateli + AND LIGHT lupus returns
34 – Konstantinos Theotokis + H VALUE AND MONEY
35 – GEORGE JF + EPITAFIOS THRINOS
36 – GEORGE JF + H SARKOFAGOS
37 – Κ.Π. KAVAFIS + ANSWER
38 – K.P. KAVAFIS + poems
39 – Nikos Kazantzakis + REFERENCE Greco
40 – Nikos Kazantzakis + LIFE AND of Alexis Zorbas
41 – Nikos Kazantzakis + Captain Michalis
42 – Nikos Kazantzakis + CHRIST Recrucified
43 – Andreas Kalvos + ODAI
44 – IAKOVOS KAMPANELLIS + THE YARD OF MIRACLES
45 – M. KARAGATSIS + THE GREAT CHIMERA
46 – T. KARAGATSIS + Giougkerman
47 – T. KARAGATSIS + C SYNTAGMATARCHIS LIAPKIN
48 – Margarita Karapanou + H KASSANDRA AND WOLF
49 – Andreas Karkavitsas + C ZITIANOS
50 – COSTAS KARYOTAKIS + Elegeia AND SATIRES
51 – COSTAS KARYOTAKIS + poems and prose
52 – COSTAS KARYOTAKIS + nepenthe
53 – MICHAEL KATSAROS + v Sadducees
54 – NICK KACHTITSIS + C EXOSTIS
55 – ALEXANDER KOTZIAS + ANTIPOIISIS AUTHORITY
56 – Menis Koumandareas + CRAFTS GLASSWARE
57 – MAKRYGIANNIS + MEMOIRS
58 – PAUL MATESIS + mOTHER DOG
59 – MICHAEL MITSAKIS + STORIES
60 – GIANNIS BERATIS + TO PLATI POTAMI
61 – STRATIS MYRIVILIS + LIFE IN THE TOMB
62 – Stratis Myrivilis + Schoolmistress WITH GOLD EYES
63 – KOSTIS PALAMAS + C DODEKALOGOS OF gypsy
64 – Giannis PANOU + MOUTH OF OLD REMINGTON
65 – ALEXANDER PAPADIAMANTIS + H Fonissa
66 – ALEXANDER PAPADIAMANTIS + ANSWERS
67 – NICK-GABRIEL PENTZIKIS + novel OF MAIN ERSIS
68 – NICK-GABRIEL PENTZIKIS + C PETHAMENOS and resurrection
69 – Kosmas Politis + EROICA
70 – Kosmas Politis + STOU CHATZIFRAGKOU
71 – Kosmas Politis + LEMONODASOS
72 – Giannis RITSOS + Sonata MOONLIGHT
73 – Giannis RITSOS + THE FOURTH DIMENSION
74 – EMMANOUIL ROIDIS + THE PAPISSA IOANNA
75 – ANTONIS SAMARAKIS + THE MISTAKE
76 – MILTOS SACHTOURIS + POEMS A AND B
77 – George Seferis + POEMS
78 – George Seferis + NOVEL
79 – George Seferis + LOG BOOKS
80 – George Seferis + TURN
81 – Angelos Sikelianos + LYRIKOS VIOS
82 – TAKIS SINOPOULOS + NEKRODEIPNOS
83 – Giannis Skarimpas + solo Figaro
84 – Giannis SKARIMPAS + THE SULFUR tragus
85 – DIONISIOS SOLOMOS + GINEKA OF ZAKYNTHOS
86 – DIONISIOS SOLOMOS + ANSWERS
87 – DIONISIOS SOLOMOS + SELF Poliorkimenon
88 – Dido Sotiriou + Bloody Soil
89 – COSTAS TACHTSIS + THIRD HOOP
90 – STRATIS TSIRKAS + AKYVERNITES STATES
91 – STRATIS CIRCAS + THE LOST SPRING
92 – MARIOS HAKKAS + THE BIDES
93 – Dimitrios Hatzis + END OF SMALL OUR CITY
94 – Dimitrios Hatzis + DOUBLE PAPER
95 – GEORGE WINTER + C EHTHROS Poet
96 – GEORGE WINTER + Cl CHTISTES
97 – NICK CHOULIARAS + C LOUSIAS
98 – CONSTANTINOS CHRISTOMANOS + H Keren DOLL
99 – DINOS CHRISTIANOPOULOS + POEMS
100 – GIANNIS PSYCHARIS + MY JOURNEY

The authors who participated

The authors who participated with their selections in our research are the following (in alphabetical order):

Tatiana Averof, Christos Aggelakos, Dimitris Athinakis, Costas Akrivos, Marigo Alexopoulou, Vassilis Amanatidis, Costas Arkoudeas, Christos Asteriou, Nanos Valaoritis, Thanassis Valtinos, Vassilos S, Vassilis Vassilikos, Vassilis Vasilikos Grigoriadis Nikos Davvetas, Lucia Derbe, Angela Dimitrakaki, Arhontoula Diavati, Lena Divani, Philip Drakontaeidis, Lily Exarchopoulos Maria Efstathiadi Stavros Zafeiriou Claus Zilakos Katerina Iliopoulos, Alexander Issaris Costas Kavanozis, Athena Kakouris, Dimitris Kalokyris, Tasoula Karageorgiou, Vassilis Karagiannis, Angela Kastrinaki, Costas Katsoularis, Elias Kefalas, Giannis Kiourtsakis, Nena Kokkinaki, Zefi Kolia, Dimitra Kolliakou, Lila Konomara, Manos Kontoleon, Thomas Korovinis, Augustis Kougotis, Augustis KoutisZeta Kountouri, Maria Koursi, Petros Koutsiabasakos, Stathis Koutsounis, Costas Koutsourelis, Achilleas Kyriakidis, George Lambrakos, Costas Logaras, Elias Maglinis, Argyro Mantoglou, Aris Maragopoulos, Eleni Mahali, Eleni Mahali , George-Ikaros Babasakis, Glykeria Basdeki, Vangelis Bekas, George Blanas, George Bramos, Sofia Nikolaidou, Iro Nikopoulou, Dimitris Nollas, George Xenarios, Nikos Xenios, Giannis Palavos, Pavlina Pampogiou, Niki , Hilda Papadimitriou, Aristea Papalexandrou, Elias Papamoschos, Nikitas Parisis, Dimitris Petsetidis, Thodoris Rakopoulos, Irini Rinioti, Vassilis Rouvalis, Angeliki Sidira, Dinos Siotis, Stavis Soukas, Thomas SoukasDimitris Stefanakis, Angela Stratigopoulou Aris Sfakianakis, Dimitris Sotakis, weep Sotiriadou, Vasia Tzanakaris, Soti Triantafyllou, Win Troullinou Thomas Tsalapatis, Bright Tsalikoglou Vassilis Tsiampousis Michalis Fakinos, Eugenia Fakinou Maria Fakinou Dimitris Fyssas, Kyriakos Charalambides, Kosmas Charmpantidis , Vangelis Hatzigiannidis, Thanasis Hatzopoulos, Elena Houzouri, George Chouliaras, Eliana Chourmouziadou, George Chronas, Christos Homenidis, George Psaltis.Elena Houzouri, George Chouliaras, Eliana Chourmouziadou, George Chronas, Christos Homenidis, George Psaltis.Elena Houzouri, George Chouliaras, Eliana Chourmouziadou, George Chronas, Christos Homenidis, George Psaltis.

Source: POLITIA Bookstore