The National Herald a b May 26, 2007 www.thenationalherald.com 2 THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 3

The National Herald A weekly publication of the NATIONAL HERALD, INC. (ΕΘΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΗΡΥΞ), reporting the news and addressing the issues of paramount interest to the Greek American community of the United States of America. Publisher-Editor Antonis H. Diamataris Assistant to Publisher, Advertising Veta H. Diamataris Papadopoulos Special Section Managing Editor Elaine Thomopoulos Production Manager Chrysoula Karametros 37-10 30th Street, LIC, NY 11101-2614 Tel: (718)784-5255, Fax: (718)472-0510, e-mail: [email protected] www.thenationalherald.com Democritou 1 and Academias Sts, Athens, 10671, Greece Tel: 011.30.210.3614.598, Fax: 011.30.210.3643.776, e-mail: [email protected]

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am the curator of the exhibit, “Greeks of Berrien County, Michigan,” a collaborative effort between a community institution, The History Center at Courthouse Square, and a local church, the Annunciation Iand St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church. Especially touching to me have been the tears that have welled up in exhibit viewer’s eyes as they witness, through photos or words, the experiences the immigrants faced when they chose to journey to a far-away land, leaving family behind. In this issue we review four non-fiction books dealing with the immi- grant experience. They include “Growing Up Greek in St. Louis” by Aphrodite Matsakis: “My Detroit: Growing up Greek and American in the Motor City” by Dan Georgakas; “Demetrios is Now Jimmy: Greek Immi- grants in the Southern United States, 1895-1965” by Larry Odzak; and "Remembering Newark's Greeks: An American Odyssey” by Angelique Lambros. Through these books, you can vicariously experience the immi- grant experience. You may find tears welling up in your eyes. Several themes emerged from these books. Tears were shed on both sides of the ocean when families were separated. The immigrants faced virulent prejudice when they came here at the beginning of the 20th cen- tury. They worked at backbreaking menial jobs to put bread on the table and help their families back in Greece. (We didn’t become one of the best- educated and wealthiest immigrant groups overnight.) The immigrants struggled to transmit their Greek heritage to the younger generation, a generation that sometimes fought against the old-world ways and re- belled against going to Greek school. Most of the immigrants (not all) re- alized the dream of finding a better way of life for their families in Ameri- ca and became respected members of the community. I invite you to read these books as well as the other books we have re- viewed for this issue of “Books.” They include candid books about Greece in modern times: “Facing Athens:Encounters with the Modern City” by George Sarrinikolaou, as well the “The Passport and Other Selected Short Stories.” by Antonis Samarakis, translated by Andrew Horton. There are also books about Greece in Roman and Byzantine times: “Sailing from: Byzantium, How a Lost Empire Saved the World” by Colin Wells; “Cyriac of Ancona, Later Travels” translated by Edward W. Bodnar with Clive Foss; and “Greek Athletics in the Roman World” by Zahara Newby. For those who want lighter fare, try the spicy novels penned by Tori Carring- ton (aka Tony & Lori Karayianni) about private eye, Sofie Metropolis, Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. It is wholesome and bracing for the mind to have its who lives and works in Astoria, New York. The literary supplement is pleased to receive copies for review from in- faculties kept on the stretch. dependent presses and individuals. All titles received will be given serious Sir Richard Steele 1672-1729, British Dramatist, Essayist, Editor consideration. Submit publications, written in English about Greece or Greek Americans, to The National Herald, 37-10 30th Street, Long Island The National Herald Bookstore City, New York 11101. Exercise your mind... Elaine Thomopoulos (718) 784-5255 Managing Editor [email protected] Email: [email protected] 4 THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 Sofie Metropolis: The Greek American Nancy Drew

By Aphrodite Matsakis knocking together so loudly they Special to The National Herald nearly drowned out the screams of a man who’d obviously been hit.” It was love at first sight. The In both Sofie novels alongside the minute Tony Karayianni laid on main action are several intriguing eyes on Lori (at a Greek restaurant and entertaining subplots, like of course), he knew she was the those involving an alleged vampire love of his life. Decades later, their and a lost ferret. romance is alive and well. Even In “Dirty Laundry,” Sofie also more amazing, this dynamic hus- looks into the possibility that her band-and-wife duo, who use the family has “dirty laundry” of it’s pen-name Tori Carrington, are the own. (Is her father cheating on her co-authors of over 35 romance and mother?) In both suspense filled mystery novels which Harlequin novels, readers can find themselves Worldwide has published in over making the sign of the cross in “Sofie Metropolis” 24 different languages (including hopes that Sofie will stay alive, Greek) in over 100 countries. Their while at the same time chuckling at By Tori Carrington books have made bestseller lists her hilarious comments about her Tom Doherty Associates, and won multiple national awards. insecurities and ambivalent feel- 284 pages, $21.95 hardcover, To date, there are over three mil- ings about almost every part of $6.99 paperback lion copies of their books in print. herself – her appearance, her per- Lori tends to be the chief writer sonality, her professional skills, and Tony, the master plotter. and, of course, her “crazy” but lov- Sofie Metropolis, often called able Greek American family and the Greek American Nancy Drew, is friends. the heroine of both “Sofie Metrop- The Carrington’s first Greek olis” and “Dirty Laundry.” These American heroine, Eva Mavros fast paced mysteries, which take Burgess, appeared in their first place in the close-knit Greek Amer- published title, “Constant Crav- ican community of Astoria, NY, are ing,” which is now being reissued laced with plenty of humor and by Harlequin. It’s full of the con- plenty of sensuality, “souvlakia,” stant craving (sexual at first and and “koulourakia” as well. (There later on, emotional as well) be- are recipes for some of Sofie’s fa- tween the green-eyed drop-dead vorite Greek dishes at the back of gorgeous Eva and an “American” both books.) Although far from be- TONY KARAYIANNI detective, Adam Grayson that ulti- ing sociological tracts, the Sofie se- Lori and Tony Karayianni (aka Tori Carrington), are authors of over mately culminates in sizzling sex. ries portrays some of the clashes 34 romance and mystery novels published in over 24 different lan- The plot of “Constant Craving” re- between old world and new world guages, including Greek, in over 100 countries. To date, there are volves around white-collar crimi- standards, especially pertaining to over three million copies of their books in print. nals willing to kill to protect their “Dirty Laundry: women. On the one hand stand loot. Internal action is also in- Sofie’s mother and grandmother, dangerous buildings and other life- Her lustful desires for a hand- volved as Eva, who broke the Starring Sofie who rarely leave the home. (Sofie’s threatening situations. She’s a some Australian bounty hunter is a “good Greek girl” rules of her fami- Metropolis” Yiayia pretends she doesn’t under- quick-thinking “leventissa” who constant theme, and her wry obser- ly and left her small town in Missis- By Tori Carrington stand English. Sofie’s mother has- can shoot a gun, and in “Dirty vations about being a single sippi for an accounting career in n’t changed her hairdo in 30 Laundry” she proves her mettle by woman, especially a Greek Ameri- the big city, comes back to her Tom Doherty Associates, years!) On the other hand stands standing up to mobsters. Yet when can single woman, are continual hometown in hopes of mending 318 pages, $23.95 Efi, Sofie’s younger sister, who tat- her mother’s friends ask her for fa- sources of humor. “The advantage the rift between herself and her toos and pierces her body with lit- vors she considers beneath her pro- of living alone is that you don’t crusty old-fashioned Greek father. tle regard to her mother’s protests. fessional status, like finding their have anyone around you to bother She also hopes to find the warm Instead of smiling politely at the lost pets (for free of course), the you. The problem with being alone family life she had abandoned. At Greek American prospective bride- good Greek girl in Sofie can’t say is, well, that you don’t have anyone one point during her big city ca- groom whom her mother has invit- “no.” around to bother you,” Sofie ob- reer, she asks herself what her life ed to meet her, Efi walks out him to While her family worries that serves. had become: keep her date with another man. their “gerontokori” (old maid) may In “Sofie Petropolis,” Sofie takes “An emotionless void in which In the middle stands Sofie, Pri- never marry, Sofie is more worried on the case of a cheating spouse she functioned in no more an im- vate Investigator, with one foot in about her lack of a love life than that turns into a case of attempted portant manner than a machine? ... the Greek world and one foot, out. her lack of a husband. “I could murder. Sofie is the intended vic- Scared she might find out she’d Like the heroine in “My Big Fat swear I woke up this morning to tim. In “Dirty Laundry,” she investi- made a mistake so many years ago Greek Wedding,” Sofie finds a the sound of my body humming. gates the case of a missing Greek when she left Belle Rivage and the clever way to escape her fate as a Humming. You know, like some American dry cleaner suspected of overbearing presence of her fa- waitress in a family restaurant. “I kind of internal alarm clock had laundering money for the mob. In ther? Trading it instead for a life used to be Sofie Metropolis, wait- gone off denoting how many the process of trying to solve this without emotion, without love?” ress and good Greek daughter – weeks had passed since I’d last had mystery, she encounters mobsters Tony Karayianni was born in a not necessarily in that order. Now sex. It hadn’t helped when I’d fig- who want to throw her into a river small hillside village in Ancient I’m Sofie Metropolis, PI.” Yet, even ured out I’d been lying on my vi- wearing cement shoes. “The Olympia and moved to Athens with in the midst of her life-threatening brating cell phone and that the minute a figure emerged, I his family when he was three. In detective work, she can feel com- caller was the wrong number. I fig- squeezed off a round ... and found his early teens and early twenties, “Constant Craving” pelled to return her mother’s inces- ured that at this point I was lucky myself falling backward, ass-first ... he was a drummer in a number of By Tori Carrington sant phone calls. “I hated that my not to have lost my mind, although my pistol bouncing away from me. pop Greek bands. In 1976 he immi- mother still had the ability to make even that might be up for debate. I’d forgotten about the kick of the grated to the U.S. In 1982 he met Harlequin Temptation Line, 218 me feel guilty,” Sofie says. ... I can see it now, Sofie Metropolis powerful firearm ... Of course, it Lori. She describes herself as an pages, $4.99 paperback In search of clues, Sofie enters PI and born-again virgin.” didn’t help that my knees were “American mutt” from Toledo who THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 5 now is familiar with and mance novels because, 27 unpublished manuscripts lan- in love with everything as they state, “The first guishing in the attic with the dust Greek, both ancient and thing any writing in- mites.” modern. Tony feels that structor worth her salt For further information on the in many ways Lori is will tell you to do is to Carrington books (ordering infor- “more Greek” than he write what you know. mation, reviews and discounts), is. The couple visits And what do we know their travel schedule and how their Greece as often as they better than our own on- writing contributes to admirable can and hope to retire going romance?” From charitable endeavors, visit there. When they get the very beginning, how- www.toricarrington.net or too homesick for ever, largely due to www.sofiemetro.com. Like their Greece, they take a trip Tony’s influence, says writing, Lori and Tony’s web pages to Astoria, Queens, New Lori, mystery and sus- are full of life. They include per- York where they can pense always found a sonal messages from the two au- feel as if they are in way into their book. “So thors as well as their favorite Greece. “Except, of it was a given that when recipes. Even if your “yiayia” course, when the 31st our stories for Harlequin makes the best Greek food in town, train squeals to a stop began getting longer and you may want to check out Lori nearby.” more complicated that and Tony’s fare. They make their Before becoming we would go the mystery own bread and their youngest son, writers, Lori was a com- route. Sofie is a natural Tim, travels one and half hours puter programmer, and evolution of sorts. ... Our each way to join them for home- Mission Tony was successful as desire (was) to view made Sunday dinner. “And he’s al- an industrial painter Greek American life from ways sent home with enough food and in other positions. our son’s viewpoint. to last him until his next visit,” says Statement However at one point Sofie, simply put, is the Tony. How Greek is that? they found their work daughter we never had. The Sofie books are funny, sexy, Goneis magazine is the only global- had become unfulfill- So we married the two witty and full of action. However, Greek family publication with careful- ing. In a single personal elements (our interest in they provide more than superficial truth-seeking session, The third Sofie novel, “Foul Play,” is scheduled to be both writing mystery and entertainment. Like most good ly selected editorial content helping this courageous couple released in May 07. in Greek American cul- books, they make one laugh, cry, moms and dads celebrate the joys of changed the course of ture) and Sofie was the and expand one’s knowledge of the their lives. They decided to aban- them the time to write. They pub- result.” world and of one’s self. parenthood and the Greek family of don the security of their current lished their first book 13 long years The third Sofie novel, “Foul the 21st century. Our reading commu- jobs and to devote themselves to later. Yet, says Lori, “We would not Play,” is schedule to be released in Aphrodite Matsakis, Ph.D. is a nity has special cultural characteris- writing. “Tony was a few years old- change one moment of our strug- May 07; the fourth remains un- counseling psychologist and the er than me then (although he is of- gle for fear of upsetting the chain named. The authors promise it will author of 13 books on a variety tics, and Goneis makes every effort to ficially three years younger now),” events that have led us to the com- be a little lighter and full of well- of psychological topics, as well shed light on our Hellenic traditions says Lori. plete delight and passion and satis- researched spooky and quirky as of “Growing Up Greek in St. and history. Like many new writers, they faction that saturates our lives Greek superstitions. They have also Louis” (Arcadia Publishing, took on jobs which paid enough to now.” contracts for four additional books 1998). Visit www.matsakis.com meet their bills but which allowed The couple began by writing ro- and, says Lori, there are “another for further information. We hope to inspire our community of parents to preserve Greek values and integrate smoothly into their lo- By George cal societies. Goneis has an extensive variety of editorial coverage providing by Harris “Bud” George useful information, entertainment, "...I asked them whether this was and compelling insights into the fasci- the road to Karava. The oldest of the three smiled even more broadly nating way children develop in a glob- and said, 'Monsieur, this is not Paris. al-Greek environment. There is only one road to Karava."

Harris “Bud” George’s collection of stories be- Our reading family ranges from gins with his orphaned father coming to America at the age of 16 and becoming the young children to senior citizens. If $ 20.00 first Greek businessman in Towson in 1912. you enjoy reading Goneis family mag- His mother’s imperatives about growing up in the Baltimore Greek community, his brother’s establishment of what is today the azine, pass it on to a friend. You will largest Greek Orthodox parish library in the western hemisphere, and his sisters’ be our ambassadors by spreading the first attempt at Greek cooking and monomania about teaching English vocabu- lary are engagingly chronicled, as are the author’s fascination with Kythera -the word and helping our global reader- island of his parents’ birth- and its lore. George shows how Greek as a second language is handy, how the Greek character manifests itself in airline passengers, ship grow. in Greek newspaper reporters, and in the Greeks of Capetown, Manila and Gdan- You will have another issue in three sk. Stories of his years in the US Navy offer amusing adventures in Capetown, Ceylon, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan, Portugal, and Greece. Also included months, rather than six. are the author’s most challenging experiences practicing law for 47 years - from foreclosing a mortgage on a herd of cattle to representing the accused in Mary- Thank you! land’s First Savings and Loan scandal. Towson, Maryland native Harris “Bud” George finished his Duke For more information please visit University undergraduate Phi Beta Kappa work at the age of 19 and passed the Maryland Bar at 22. He then entered the US Navy, follow- ing which he has practiced law. www.goneis.net Can be ordered through bookstores or online or call (336) 509-8475 at www.itascabooks.com, subject: Biography 6 THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 New Book Extols Legacy Of Newark’s Greeks Beautiful Evocation of Almost Vanished Immigrant Society

By Penelope Karageorge Special to The National Herald

You don’t have to be from Newark, N.J. to fall in love with “Remembering Newark’s Greeks: An American Odyssey” by An- gelique Lampros. The book, 192 pages, alive with more than 300 photographs and a wealth of inter- views with dozens of individuals, offers a magnificent microcosm of “Remembering Greek American immigrant society. It’s a delicious baklava of a book Newark’s Greeks: An with its layers of memory, captur- ing the warmth, beauty and American Odyssey” uniqueness of that largely vanished By Angelique Lampros world of Greek Americana and Donning Publishing, should resonate for Greek Ameri- cans from California to Maine 192 pages, $40 Although one of the smallest ethnic groups in America, Greek Americans can take justifiable pride in becoming a huge success story, attaining the highest educa- tional level of any immigrant group in the U.S. Spurred to achieve by hard-working, deeply committed parents, many Greek American HELLENIC PUBLIC LIBRARY: HERITAGE COLLECTION/COURTESY OF THE CONIARIS FAMILY Students of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church School are poised and ready to perform in a Christmas pageant, ca. 1932-1933 at the Ukranian Stritch Hall in Newark, New Jersey. Recalls Dr. Charles Coniaris: “We would memorize Greek plays, ten to twelve pages long, and perform, even if we didn’t know what the words meant, and present them to the community.” First row from left: Andrew, Venetia, and Charles Coniaris. Second row: Manny Lamprou, Stella Sakelakos, Rose Billias, Greek School teacher Mr. Karan- dreou, Harriet Vretos, Anthoula Koronakos and Irene Pawlakos. Row three: Alice Pawlakos, Nick Lam- prou, _____ Manos, Faye Chletsos, John Coniaris and Honey Vretos.

doctors, lawyers, scientists, busi- gave us what we have today, to the people. At one point, my home ness titans and media giants today honor their legacy. From the begin- was filled with over 500 pho- wax nostalgic about sweeping the ning, I felt strongly that the book tographs.” floor in their dad’s restaurant, the should not be written from the per- While the interview process was atonal wail and beat of rebetiko spective of a historian. Instead I going on, they connected with Dr. music at church dances, the disci- wanted to capture the words, the Conant Price, a professor at Rut- pline of Greek school. “Remember- feelings and the images of the peo- gers University, who introduced ing Newark’s Greeks” evokes that ple themselves.” them to Charles Cumming, assis- world and could, in fact, offer a At first Lampros and Markos at- tant director at the New Jersey In- model to other communities to tempted to get a grant from the formation Center. “Cumming was a hurry out and collect photographs New Jersey Historical Society to Newark historian, a wonderful, and reminiscences before they dis- fund their efforts. Despite being re- wonderful man who passed away a appear. buffed, they put together a plan of year ago, which was devastating,” Author Angelique Lampros, a action. “We started contacting the Lampros says. “Both Price and retired teacher and administrator older people who we knew and we Cumming became really interested who grew up in Newark, and co- interviewed them,” Lampros says. in the project, and Charles said, curator Peter Markos, also a “We traveled the state of New Jer- ‘Let’s do an exhibit at the Newark Newark native, teacher and admin- sey seeking out Greek Americans Public Library.’ It took about a year istrator, spent almost seven years who had lived in Newark and to set it up.” tracking down stories, reminis- talked with them. We went with a Working towards the library ex- cences, artifacts and photographs tape recorder. They had wonderful hibit, Lampros and Markos contin- for the book. The project began stories to tell, as you can see from ued tracking down photographs. eight years ago when Lampros re- the quotes from their interviews. I “Some people were reluctant to ceived a call from Markos, whom transcribed all the interviews and part with their pictures,” Lampros she had known as far back as Greek put them aside. We also collected recalls. “Others were eager and school. He had just read a book photographs. said, well, when you’re finished about Newark’s “Little Italy, ” and “We sent out letters to churches with this, will you return them? asked, “How about doing a book in the area, with interview ques- Others said, “You can keep them.” on Newark’s Greeks?” tions, and asking people to send in What we told people was – you “I thought it was a great idea,” their photographs. They respond- don’t want to someday see your HELLENIC PUBLIC LIBRARY: HERITAGE COLLECTION/COURTESY OF MARY THOMAS MARALAKOS Lampros recalls. “It would be a ed. They dropped off the pho- photographs in a flea market, and The Tsotakos family, from left: Georgia, Stella, and Pauline Tsotakos, way of honoring our parents and tographs at my house, or we picked have somebody else claim it’s their with Anthony Panagakos and Michael Pontiakos, ca 1930s. remembering those people who the photographs and interviewed family! If we keep the photos at the THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 7

Newark Public Library, they will be memories. “We sent a proposal to there a 100 years from now. And the Rutgers University Press, and I this became our purpose.” gave them three chapters, but they had a different vision of what they The Hellenic Heritage Fund at wanted to the book to be,” Lam- the Newark Public Library was es- pros recalls. “They wanted more of tablished to collect the material a historical perspective. So I put and preserve it there. “The infor- that aside, and began working on mation was placed on microfilm my idea, a commemorative book and digitized,” Lampros says. that would collect the voices and “These are the voices, the images images of the people.” of the people of Newark, the Greek With the encouragement of the Americans of Newark, and this in- Newark Public Library, and the formation will be available to their help of good friends including two children and children’s children at professional editors, and others the Newark Public Library forever.” who volunteered their services, The exhibit opened to great ac- Lampros was able to complete claim in 2002 at the Newark Public what amounted to an inspired Library. “It was a year getting the work. Ultimately the book was exhibit ready,” Lampros says. “We published with backing from the were at the library all the time, Mavrode Family, the Upper Bucks working with the professionals Medical Associates and the En- there. The library applied for doscopy Center in Sellersville, Pa. grants and received a grant from At the first book signing, held at the New Jersey State Humanities Snuffy’s Pantagis Renaissance, a Organization. They themselves Greek restaurant, more than 200 added funds to the project. It people showed up, and it turned opened on October 21 when about HELLENIC PUBLIC LIBRARY: HERITAGE COLLECTION/COURTESY OF TOM CAPETANOS into a gala event. John T. Cunning- 500 people came to the library, In 1930, George’s Restaurant at 85 Halsey Street, Newark, provides a bustling scene. Mr. Capetanos can ham, who wrote the book’s intro- even from as far away as Washing- be seen in the left foreground, and Mrs. Capetanos at the back. duction, told Lampros it was the ton, D.C., old-time Newarkers. “best book party I’ve ever attend- “The library in itself is beautiful, I would go down and give tours to Newark Historical Society. The ex- When the exhibit closed, Lam- ed.” and this exhibit covered three people who requested them. We hibit was so successful – thousands pros still yearned for a book with Statistically, the Greeks were a floors. It was really wonderful. addressed the Friends of the of people came – that the library photographs and interviews, a While the exhibit was on, Peter and Newark Public Library and the extended it for an extra month.” book that would capture precious Continued on page 8

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Continued from page 7 who arrived in New Jersey seemed to live in Newark or close enough small portion of Newark’s popula- to attend St. Nicholas Greek Ortho- tion, numbering about 8,000 at dox Church and send their children their peak in the early 20th centu- to Greek school. This was the “hub” ry. But their hard work and indus- and forms a centerpiece for the try, commitment to community and book that begins with “The family, helped shape the city. Be- Odyssey,” arrival in America, and tween the 1920s and 1950s, 65 moves on through the years, in- percent of the city’s downtown cluding World War II. The book in- eateries were owned and run by cludes some wonderful surprises, Greeks. including the menu from the Greek In the book’s Forward, Dr. steamship, the Byron, and the note Clement Alexander Price, a Rut- on it written by Mary Vasilow Pan- gers-Newark Professor of History telis, age 16: “O Byron, the ship and the Director of the Institute on that brought me to this black, for- Ethnicity, Culture and the Modern eign land in 1927.” Experience, states: “The Greek ex- Newark’s Greek immigrants em- perience in Newark enlivened the braced America, the land that was city during a period of economic the living embodiment of the promise and cultural diversity that Greek idea of democracy and were unfolded from the late 19th Centu- determined to make good. “My fa- ry through the first three decades ther came as a young boy in 1896 of the 20th Century. It was the from Tripoli and began by shining city’s Golden Era.” shoes in a shoeshine parlor. At Price points out that the growth night, all the boys slept in the back of the public sphere in education, room. My father slept under the the arts and cultural institutions COURTESY OF ANTIGONE LAMPROS sink. There was no heat, the water made Newark a more diverse and Angelique Lampros, a retired dripped on his head, and it was cosmopolitan place. “The Greek teacher and administrator who freezing. He vowed the would nev- HELLENIC PUBLIC LIBRARY: HERITAGE COLLECTION/COURTESY OF PERRY P. ZAGOREOS immigrants and their progeny grew up in Newark, is the author er be poor like that again, ” said The Theophiles children, Constantine with twins Angeliki and Ange- were hardly bystanders to this of “Remembering Newark’s Dorothea Adams Pantages. lo, pose in Greek costumes, ca. 1920s. emerging change in the way Greeks: an American Odyssey.” Author Lampros grew up living Newarkers entered the 20th Centu- Together with Peter Markos, she “over the store” on the third floor though Lampros did not usually when everyone pitched in. ry. They established a foundation curated the acclaimed exhibit on headquarters of the Boston Candy work in the store because of her “At Easter time everyone for a community of remarkable co- Newark's Greeks, which was pre- Company, owned by her father. parents’ concern that she devote worked in the store,” Lampros hesions and purpose.” sented in 2002 at the Newark Her godfather owned the building, herself to her studies, she recalls says. “We had the whole section in At one time, all the immigrants Public Library. so it was “all in the family.” Al- the hustle and bustle of Easter the middle of the store filled with

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Minimum monetary grant is $1,500

For further information and applications visit our web site at: www.hucny.org or request application by mail: HUC Scholarship Committee George Kiriazides Bessie Lygnos PO Box 6882, FDR Station, New York, NY 10150 • E-mail at [email protected] THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 9

planks and stands, with chocolate rabbits, chocolate Easter eggs. My Books from mother would help wrap things up. My godparents – everyone was there.” D.C. Divry’s Lampros, who graduated from Montclair State University and earned an M.A. at George Washing- bring you closer ton University, has been involved with Greek activities, ranging from to your roots and to your culture the Daughters of Penelope to teaching Sunday school, all her Give a gift life, and takes enormous pride in her Hellenic heritage. The book to be remembered helped fulfill a dream for herself every day of the year and co-curator Markos. “I felt the book had to tell a story in se- quence,” Lampros says. “Why peo- CALL NOW ple came here and why they ended up in Newark, and how they went and get a classic D.C. Divry’s book. about building their businesses, Learn to converse in Greek, improve your vocabulary their involvement, how important the family was. The anecdotes or learn how to cook like your grandmother have been the most important part. To put the book together, I went through every one of the inter- views. The narrative is just to tie in the memories and quotes – to pull it all together. The important part of the book is the images and voic- es of the people. “I’m just sorry we didn’t start this earlier, because so many of the people we interviewed have passed away. I would say about half of $ .00 them. This is a positive book. It $ .50 25 tells a story. It tells what happened. $ .50 Life was difficult. This is the immi- 12 12 grant’s experience, whether it’s $ .00 Newark, or Chicago, or Salt Lake 14 City or Vancouver. They had a diffi- HELLENIC PUBLIC LIBRARY: HERITAGE COLLECTION/COURTESY OF THE JUVELIS FAMILY cult time, but they made some- Four young beauties perform a Greek dance at the Griffith Building thing of their lives. They did it for on Broad Street, Newark, in June, 1936. Adam A. Adams (Adamopou- their families and their children. los), a “Horatio Alger” success story who rose from shoeshine boy to “St. Nicholas Church will be owner of a chain of movie theatres, contributed the classical Greek leaving Newark. It’s sad, because costumes (bobby sox courtesy of the dancers). From left: Elinore that’s where our parents were and The new Tselemente Saratoes, Kay Tsotakos, Ethel Juvelis and Eva Halulakos. our religion flourished. But we have the book, and we’ve had a wonderful reaction to it.” Lampros, Markos and all of the other people involved with this la- $ .50 bor of love worked without remu- $ .00 $ .50 neration, and all profits from the 25 6 book, well worth the price of 7 $40.00, will go directly into the - Shipping and handling additional - Hellenic Heritage Fund. The book can be purchased from the Newark Public Library ( the first book ever sold by the Library) or by visiting Look for these and other the Library’s website at D.C. Divry’s Books at your www.npl.org/greek or by calling 973-733-7793. It’s also available local book stores and Greek shops at The Greek Store in Kenilworth, N.J.

A freelance writer, Penelope Karageorge is the author of two HOMERIC GREETING novels and a poetry collection, HELLENIC PUBLIC LIBRARY: HERITAGE COLLECTION/COURTESY OF MARY G. MAROULAKOS “Red Lipstick and the Wine-Dark Surrounded by hat blocks and blocked hats, Nicholas Gianaris stands Sea” (Pella). She is working with a b CARDS & IMPORTS behind the counter of his Automatic Hat Shop at 51 West Market Zikos Tasios of Tasios Produc- 289 New Main Street, Yonkers, NY 10701 Street in this 1940s photo. Newark boasted several hat cleaning and tions, Athens, to produce her blocking establishments operated by Greek Americans including the film script, “Drinking the Sun,” a Tel.: (914) 968-7551 ñ (914) 968-0220 Continental Hat Renovating Shop owned by the dapper Dimitri Met- romantic comedy set on the is- Fax: (914) 968-7552 sopoulos, known as the “Kaiser” because he waxed the tips of his lux- land of Lemnos and is currently urious moustache. seeking a U.S. co-producer. 10 THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 Explaining Immigrant Mobility: Don’t Neglect the Race Factor

ety, regional diversity. Of course, nationalities. There is mention of the book addresses a well-covered Jews, Italians, Syrians and Greeks, topic, the economically successful among others, but not of Asian im- male immigrant. But it also takes migrants. Here one must stress that up an understudied topic with re- Jim Crow segregation did not ex- gional focus: Greek America in the tend this crucial opportunity to American South during the Jim African Americans. Therefore, it Crow era. This was a period of le- was immigrants who were recruit- gal racial segregation (1876-1965) ed to fill this much-coveted eco- characterized by anti-foreignism nomic niche. and brutal racist violence. The author points to the impor- This historical study is based on tance of cultural values to explain the author’s doctoral dissertation. immigrant success. He covers a Lazar “Larry” Odzak (b.1933) is well-trod territory when he sug- currently an archivist-historian at gests that immigrants strove for the North Carolina State Archives. mobility because failure would He received his Ph.D. degree in have compromised their “timi” U.S. History from Strassford Uni- (honor), shaming them in the eyes versity (London, England, 2003). of their family and community. His book, “Demetrios is Now Jim- Thus, according to the author, it “Demetrios is Now my,” follows academic conven- was the cultural dictates of the tions. The author sorts through a honor system that fuelled the de- Jimmy: Greek considerable corpus of scholarly sire to succeed at any cost. Conse- Immigrants in the works on immigration and ethnici- quently, hard work to the point of ty, whose citations are dispersed sacrifice, dogged persistence and Southern United throughout the book. A readable frugality, are seen as causes that re- States, 1895-1965” account, the book provides useful This is Alex Kontos, circa 1908. Kontos started by peddling fruit when sulted in the much-sought-after fi- archival information and oral testi- he first arrived in the U.S. Then about 1902, he contracted with a Mo- nancial security, even prosperity, By Larry Odzak monies on regional history. Com- bile distributor to sell wholesale bananas in Birmingham. He had a vir- among early immigrants. Monograph Publishers, 260 pages, parative in scope, it dedicates tual monopoly on the selling of this fruit in the Birmingham area and One of the author’s contribu- $24.95 whole chapters to immigrant adap- became known as the “Banana King.” tions rests in showing how erro- tations in cities such as New Or- neous it is to explain ethnic success leans, Birmingham and Tarpon university press, I will not review it immigrants was higher in the on the basis of cultural values Springs. Furthermore, a chapter in terms of its scholarly omissions South. He also cites the early alone. The discussion makes it exploring the “Formation and De- and limitations. Though I will refer “Greek family formation in the clear that one must account how velopment of Greek Immigrant to some of its shortcomings, cri- South,” and the Southerners high- other variables in the host society – Communities in the American tiquing will not be my main focus. I er rates of immigrant intermar- institutional and everyday racism By Yiorgos Anagnostou South” includes discussions and will not reflect, for example, why a riage with whites as further evi- for example – may propel some Special to The National Herald comparisons of the cases of At- book that situates immigrants in dence of mobility. The author be- groups to the path of upward mo- lanta, Jacksonville Savannah, the context of race relations and lieves that the “Southern variant” bility, while barring this opportuni- No single story can capture the Charleston, Raleigh, Charleston mobility utterly ignores important was caused by a combination of ty to others. Odzak takes into ac- experience of early immigrant and Mobile. academic sources on “white eth- factors. They include: the impor- count how the pervasive racism Greek America. Men who toiled in The book discusses the transfor- nics,” labor struggles, and race. tance of “timi” (honor), which against African Americans in the the mines and railroad construc- mation of the Southern Greeks Rather, I wish to discuss the contri- prodded them to succeed in the American South favored immi- tion under dangerous labor condi- from immigrants to ethnic Ameri- butions that this work makes to our workplace, the relentless pressure grant mobility. tions experienced immigration dif- cans through “selective adapta- understanding of one aspect of to assimilate, the acceptance of In discussing the issue of male ferently than those who owned tion.” The argument here is that Greek American history, namely those who assimilated as “white,” immigrant success in the context of small businesses. Men and women immigrant adaptations must be immigrant socioeconomic mobility, and the smaller numbers of the economic and racial relations, this interacted with different American seen as a process of acculturation, and to illuminate the implications Greeks in the south, which discour- book parts from traditional Greek publics. Among women, those who not wholesale assimilation. A key of its findings for future research. aged the formation of immigrant American historiography. The fresh were consumed by tradition-bound to the selective retention and inter- A particular research question enclaves. perspective is that in racially segre- domestic chores saw America from generational transmission of eth- animates the author’s project. The In his inquiry, the author places gated regions it was the immi- a different angle than those nicity was the early establishment primary goal is to test the hypothe- the immigrant Southern experi- grants who were seen as the solu- women who worked as wage la- of ethnic and religious institutions. sis known as the “Southern vari- ence within the context of econom- tion to a growing demand for ser- borers. And the experience of those To this end the author discusses the ant” of the Greek immigrant expe- ic and racial relations in the region. vice businesses, not local racial mi- who conformed to dominant ideas changes that defined two promi- rience. First proposed by sociolo- On the one hand, he observes, the norities. Odzak suggests that the cannot possibly compare to those nent institutions, American Hel- gist Charles Moskos, the hypothe- vision of an industrialized “New relatively light tone of the immi- who resisted what they saw as an lenic Educational Progressive Asso- sis states, “Greeks in the South South” brought about dramatic grants’ skin provided the ticket for unjust status quo. ciation (AHEPA) and the Greek Or- achieved economic and residential population growth in cities and entering this economic niche in Researchers have started to ex- thodox Church, up to the mid- upward mobility faster and in towns of the region. The example white society from which African plore this fascinating heterogene- 1960s. A chapter entitled “Frater- greater proportion than Greeks of Tampa, Florida, illustrates the Americans were excluded. He ity. They have been focusing on nal Bonding and Conservatism: elsewhere in the United States.” scale of urban transformation. The writes, “skin color helped a large previously neglected topics such as Jimmy Joined AHEPA” situates the Odzak builds on empirical evi- town’s population grew from about proportion of the first generation women, the working-class, cultural establishment of AHEPA and its dence to prove that this hypothesis 5,500 in 1890 to nearly 38,000 in Greek migrants to the Southern and political activists, and artists. subsequent development within is true in regards to self-employed 1910. This growth in turn created cities to achieve economic At last, there is an interest in recov- the region’s racial politics. Another immigrants, but not the working an urgent demand for a substantial progress.” In other words, the ering views that have been socially chapter, entitled “From Byzantine class. He compares the “ratio of service sector: groceries, cafes, “whiteness” of the immigrants marginalized, and in the process Rites to Civil Rights,” discusses the Greek-owned businesses, exclud- quick lunch stores, dry cleaners worked as a racial privilege; it understanding the past from multi- transformation of the Greek Ortho- ing the itinerant vendors, to the to- and shoeshine parlors among oth- granted them a competitive advan- ple perspectives. dox Church in the South from im- tal Greek population” in Northern ers. The prospect of becoming a tage in a labor market that relegat- “Demetrios is Now Jimmy” con- migrant to ethnic. cities to corresponding data in self-employed business owner ed African Americans to menial tributes to our understanding of Because “Demetrios is Now Jim- Southern cities, concluding that catering to white society attracted jobs. Therefore, the roots of immi- one aspect of Greek America’s vari- my” is a book published by a non- the percentage of self-employed to the South immigrants of various grant success were partly embed- THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 11 ded in a system of racial discrimi- the immigrants’ upward mobility. convincingly show that occupa- in the South (women, the working nation. However, conformity was not tion, participation in labor politics, class, or wage laborers who even- The historical record is unequiv- merely limited to outward appear- and resistance to assimilation tually became small-business own- ocal here. Immigrant mobility was ances in manners, dress and served as important criteria to clas- ers, for example) hold alternative not achieved in an environment for speech. Most significantly, the im- sify immigrants as non-white in the visions of success? Did they resist equal opportunity but occurred at migrant experience in the Ameri- American West and elsewhere. Un- racism and its cultural counterpart, the expense of African Americans. can South entailed a momentous fortunately, the book pays only 100% Americanism, embracing al- This realization must put to rest historical compromise: compliance scant attention to how this racial ternative visions of a socially and the popular belief that immigrants with the racial status quo of the re- dynamic played out in the South. It economically just American soci- self-propelled themselves to mobil- gion. Acceptance of a system of simplifies a vastly complex racial ety? There is tantalizing evidence ity, that they rose exclusively on racial oppression was the tremen- situation into a binary –“black and of resistance, when, for example, their own bootstraps. It counters dous cost that immigrants had to white” – system, where “the signifi- the author mentions in passing the self-congratulatory rhetoric pay in order to ensure their busi- cant presence of blacks tended to that “few brave voices (within the one hears so often in accounts ness prospects. In the chapter on raise white immigrants to the next Greek community) were openly about “white ethnic” success. AHEPA, Odzak provides examples rung.” The author ignores the pres- raised” in support of civil rights in What about Southern anti-for- of the relationship between the all- ence of immigrants from Asia and the South. But the reader is left eignism? In what ways did it affect powerful Klan and the Greek immi- Larry Odzak is currently an does not elaborate on the “non- wanting more. Who resisted and the immigrants? The author makes grants, showing how immigrants archivist-historian at the North white” classification of and hierar- how? How did public opposition to a strong case that the integration internalized and enacted the racial Carolina State Archives, and a chies among immigrants from the racial status quo affect one’s of immigrants was conditional. In logic of Jim Crow. In addressing visiting scholar at the University Southeast Europe and the Middle life? exchange for acceptance as “white” this hugely sensitive issue, the au- of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. East. He provides only a tantalizing To answer these questions, re- they were pressured to publicly thor is ambivalent. On the one example – the case of Lochas searchers must seize the moment display total conformity to the hand, he embarks on an internal aim to identify historical patterns whose lack of acculturation was and shift attention away from the dominant culture. The case of a critique of the organization (the and to paint history with broad equated with a “non-white” status. model of the economically “suc- café owner in Pensacola, a certain author mentions his affiliation with strokes occludes particular events, But because the focus of the book cessful” male toward the study of Chris Lochas who was accused for AHEPA in the dust jacket of the everyday situations and minute in- is on the “successful,” acculturated those individuals or groups whose violating Federal Law and was run book), expressing discomfort in cidents that do not fit the general male businessman, there is no at- success entailed a vision and com- out of town by the Ku Klux Klan, il- view of the fact that George Wal- pattern. One wishes, for example, tempt to document what happened mitment to a more just society. We lustrates the degree of public in- lace, Alabama’s segregationist gov- that the author had dedicated to those who refused to assimilate. all stand to gain by identifying timidation. Those who did not con- ernor, became an AHEPA honorary fuller attention to the complexity This inattention is illustrated in the these unexplored pasts and by fig- form were targeted as unwanted member in the spring of 1964. On of the racial situation in the South. unfortunate choice of words the uring out how these pasts can be of cultural and racial outsiders. the other hand, he rushes to de- It is well known that Greek immi- author uses to describe unassimi- value to Greek America today. The result of this climate of fear fend the immigrant acceptance of grants elsewhere in the United lated immigrants. In describing was the rampant Anglicization of Jim Crow as a pragmatic, “prudent States were initially classified as them as those who “were not able Yiorgos Anagnostou is an associ- names, adoption of the manner- observance of the American South- non-whites by many social scien- or skillful enough to show that they ate professor in the Modern isms and the ideologies of the dom- ern custom of segregation.” tists and the wider public. In the were ‘white’ and 100 percent Greek Program at Ohio State inant society, unconditional sup- The author sets himself the am- racially hierarchical taxonomy of American,” he fails to recognize University. His book, “Contours port of 100% Americanism, and bitious goal of covering 70 years of that era they were seen as inferior those immigrants who consciously of ‘White Ethnicity’: Popular en-mass joining of American frater- Greek immigrant adaptation in the to whites but superior to other resisted assimilation. Ethnography and the Making of nal organizations. It was this ruth- South. But his discussion of the racial groups such as Asian immi- A number of questions could Usable Pasts in Greek America,” less pressure to conform, the au- second and third generation is way grants and African Americans. guide future research. Did sectors is forthcoming from Ohio Uni- thor suggests, that contributed to too general and often sketchy. The Scholarly studies on this subject within the immigrant community versity Press.

ORDER NOW this detailed guide to *Orthodox beliefs, weddings, and holidays . . . *Greek customs, foods, songs and proverbs . . . *The history of Orthodoxy, the Greek Diaspora, and useful websites In starting a business, there is no single bit of advice that will ensure your success. There are many obstacles, unexpected •online at: www.greektraditions.org confrontations, and challenges. Hopefully, this practical guide will help you overcome a •by phone: 301-469-4733 by fax: 301-610-9524 few of them. I did not anticipate these •by mail: Send check payable to “Nea Attiki Press” challenges and confrontations. to: P.O. Box 34008, Bethesda, MD 20827 SOFT COVER $13 HARD COVER $18 Cost: $30 per book plus $6 shipping for first book, $1 each H+S $3 addditional book to same address. ISBN #09638051-1-8 700 N. Bell Ave., P.O. BOX 548 Carnegie, PA 15106-0548 Tel.: (412) 279-0044 Fax: (412) 279-7878 Offer for USA only 2002-2007 E-mail:[email protected] 12 THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 Greek Athletics and Ruins, Romans and Western Civilization

By E.G. Vallianatos occupies a central role in Newby’s 409. He left us with valuable impres- Special to The National Herald study, documented the Greek na- The Eastern Graeco-Roman Em- sions of what he saw. For instance, ture and seminal importance of pire or Byzantium survived down in 1447, he saw Greeks in southern According to the Roman poet athletics in Greek culture. He trav- to 1453 and Greek culture, in very Peloponnesos, near the ancient po- Horace, 65-8 BCE, Hellas con- eled extensively in mainland limited quantities, survived largely lis of Amathea, celebrating being quered her wild Roman conqueror. Greece. His (“Periegesis Hellados” underground. We waited a millen- Greek with an annual athletic con- The Greeks had long-standing rela- (“Guide to Greece”) remains one of nium of darkness for the rediscov- test, “androdromon pentastadion,” tions with the Romans, building the best descriptions and histories ery of Greek and Roman culture in in which: “They compete in a “poleis” in Italy and Sicily as early of the country. He says one sees the Renaissance, a period starting men’s footrace over a distance of as the eighth century BCE. The Ro- many wonderful sights and hears in the fourteenth century Italy. five stadia, which they run bare- mans borrowed their alphabet, art many wonders in Greece, though The “Later Travels” by Cyriac of foot, mind you, and dressed only in and religion from the Greeks and, one could find nothing more divine Ancona (Ciriaco de Pizzecolli, a linen undertunic; and whoever in time, their athletics. than the rites at Eleusis and the 1391-1452) is a great document runs more swiftly and comes in Greeks used athletics to express athletic contest at Olympia. about the passion of the Renais- first is given ten bronze drachmas, their political and religious identi- At Eleusis the Athenians cele- sance for the Greeks, why they re- which they call ‘hyperpera’; the ty, including their adoration of brated the Eleusinian Mysteries, a ally mattered. second [is given] five; the third, manliness as virtue, which they ex- fall festival to praise of the gods The protagonist of this extraor- three; and after that, all the others, “Greek Athletics in pected of their athletes. Exercising Demeter and Dionysos for the dinary and original story, Cyriac of in order of finishing, a little cash or in the nude out in the open and crops that had just been sown and Ancona, was an Italian merchant a quantity of Hyrcanian meat.” the Roman World: competing during religious festi- to seek their blessings for a good and a philhellene scholar who trav- At another site, this one near Victory and Virtue” vals was both an act of piety to- life. Olympia hosted the Panhel- eled through mainland Greece, the the gymnasium of Sparte, he By Zahra Newby wards the gods and a characteristic lenic Olympics, which celebrated Aegean islands, and Asia Minor on copied a Greek inscription from a of being Greek. Like philosophy, lit- the virtue of manliness in athletic the eve of its horrendous collapse marble base: “The city (honors) M. Oxford University Press, erature, science, democracy and competition and Greek identity. of Greece to the Turks in 1453. Aurelios Aristokrates, son of 314 pages, $ 150 the dramatic theater, athletics was Pausanias anchors athletics at Everywhere he went he collected Damainetos, priest for his family, a Greek creation that distinguished the core of Hellenism, giving manuscripts, ancient gems and 48th from Heracles, 44th from the Greeks from non-Greeks. Olympia, as a result, the center of coins. He went to Mount Athos Dioskouroi, permanent gym- According to Zahra Newby, the Greek world. This was where where he bought most of the works nasiarch … incomparable citizen.” Greek influence, including Greek the Greeks came together for their of Ploutarchos and other Greek Herakles was the Greeks’ greatest athletic influence, among the Ro- Panhellenic dreams, worshipping texts from the monks of the Iveron hero, founder of the Olympics, and mans did not flow without prob- Zeus, surrounded by hundreds of monastery; he examined the texts son of Zeus. And Dioskouroi (Kas- lems. There were tensions between beautiful statues and magnificent of Platon, Aristoteles, Galenos tor and Polydeukes) were sons of Greeks and Romans. The Romans, temples, admiring their past (Galen), Hippokrates, Herodotos, Zeus and native to Sparte. after all, destroyed Greek freedom, achievements, feeling good about Nonnos’ “Dionysiaka,” and Arch- Cyriac went to Lakonia in order annexing Greece in 146 BCE. But being Greek. History was alive in bishop Eustathios’ commentaries to see his “very good friend” despite the difficulties of the rela- Olympia, talking to the Greeks in a on Homeros in the library of Grand George Gemistos Plethon, “the tionship, including the misuse of way they could understand too Lavra. most learned of the Greeks in our Greek athletics by Romans, Greek well. In addition, “poleis” erected Cyriac also copied Greek in- time.” True, Gemistos Plethon culture mattered to the Roman rul- statues of their Olympic victors at scriptions and described the ruins (1362-1452) was a Platonic ing class. home, thus preserving their con- of temples and theaters, making philosopher who single-handedly Zahra Newby’s “Greek Athletics nection to Olympia – and their sketches and drawings of buildings tried to resurrect Hellas in Pelo- in the Roman World” is a wonder- memory of Hellenism. and statues. He denounced the ne- ponnesos. However, the Western ful, lavishly illustrated, and pio- Newby is right to suggest that glect of his contemporaries for an- Christian dismemberment of neering book, an original scholarly Greek athletics for the Greeks in tiquities, interpreting that attitude Byzantium in the thirteenth centu- study documenting the far-reach- the Roman Empire was essential as “negligence, slothfulness and ry, the ever-present Turkish danger, ing impact Greek athletics had in “in the creation of good citizen-sol- lack of humane culture.” and the Christian policies of the the Roman Empire. Romans adopt- diers, civic festivals, or the Hellenic Greek leaders undermined his ef- ed and adapted Greek athletics for lifestyle while incorporating and forts, crippling his Renaissance. sports, cultural elegance, pleasure, celebrating the contemporary Cyriac captures the hopeless- and politics. The emperor, says world.” While Greek athletics in ness of Greece in the mid-fifteenth Newby, put himself “at the very Greece accommodated the partici- century. He says the “once famous “Cyriac of Ancona, heart of Greek festival culture,” pation of Roman athletes, it was a Laconian towns” were in “utter col- holding the keys to the Greek ath- fulfillment for the Greeks alone. lapse or demolition,” a calamity no Later Travels” letics becoming a measure of some The Romans, Newby says, failed less severe than the moral decline Edited and translated from kind of Hellenization of the ruling making the connection between of the Greeks living in the midst of the Latin by Edward W. Bodnar class. A city that wanted to start a victory and virtue; and neither did those ruins. In 1447, he concluded “crown” or “sacred” game had to the Romans consider the training that the Spartans had “fallen com- with Clive Foss. have imperial approval. So com- of athletes at the gymnasia as a pletely from that famous pristine Harvard University Press, munities in the Roman Empire, necessary step to the upbringing of moral integrity of the Laconian, 459 pages, $29.95 both Greek and non-Greek, made soldiers and citizens. Lacedaimonian way of life.” Cyriac Greek athletics a badge of identity, Unfortunately, imperial Rome reports that “those who dwell in distinguishing themselves from adopted Christianity as the state the Laconian land, on the Spartan others in the Mediterranean. religion in the fourth century, a foothill of Mount Taygetus, in the Greek athletics was especially policy, which in my opinion, had town of Mistra, men who practice a important to the Greeks living un- catastrophic consequences for the poor sort of agriculture or com- der Roman domination. The Pan- Greeks, their civilization, and, of merce or ignoble trades and every hellenic games took their minds course, athletics. In 393, the Chris- Zahra Newby is senior lecturer in kind of worthless superstitious rite, away from the harsh political reali- tian Emperor Theodosios I abol- Classics and Ancient History at are ruled by barbarians or by for- ty governing their lives, allowing ished the Olympics. Christianity the University of Warwick, UK. eigners.” them to celebrate their common triumphed in Europe at the ex- She read Classics at Oxford Uni- No doubt, Cyriac was close to culture. pense of both Greek and Roman versity before taking her Masters the ancient Greeks. Cyriac wor- Pausanias, a second century culture, indeed precipitating the and Ph.D. at the Courtauld Insti- shipped Hermes, Zeus, and the Greek geographer from Asia who fall of Rome to the barbarians in tute of Art, London. Nymphs and Muses, especially THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 13

Kalliope and Kymodokea, “the mastic” of Chios. The world, he Greeks’ church had become one most brilliant and kindly of Posei- said, “was being filled with the with the church of the Catholics. don’s Nereids.” Yet he felt comfort- scent of this island’s gift, this Officially, Pope Eugene was the able with Catholicism and Eastern wholesome exhalation.” pope of the Greeks as well. The Orthodoxy. He was a “lover of an- In 1447, the state of the Greek Greeks were to disappear from tiquity,” half polytheist, half Christ- world deteriorated sharply. Cyriac Christendom. Byzantium’s fall in ian, much like the humanists of the came across Turks settling Gal- 1453 dissolved the union of the Renaissance. His work earned him lipoli, a Greek polis facing Asia on churches. SOTERIOS ELLENAS the title of the Father of Classical the Hellespont or Dardanelles. He The Renaissance, too, came to a Archaeology, influencing more Eu- says that in Gallipoli he saw “long premature end, Christianity silenc- PAROCHIAL SCHOOL ropeans to continue his search in lines of barbarians laden with ing it in the late sixteenth century. the land of Greece and Rome, slow- booty,” including Europeans trad- But the Greek genie was out of the KIMISIS THEOTOKOU ly resurrecting our understanding ing with the Turks. He was struck bottle. The texts of the Greeks – the GREEK ORTHODOX of the genius of Greek culture. with sorrow with the “captives relatively few that survived the CHURCH But Cyriac was no apolitical from the Greek nation, miserable first Christian fires -- were now in 224-18th Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11215 academic. He cared for the Greeks in their iron chains.” Some of those many published books and dis- Tel.: (718) 499-5900 of his time as well, though he enslaved Greeks told him that the persed all over Europe to be easily shared the biases of the Catholic Turks had invaded Peloponnesos, tossed into flames. So despite the V. Rev. DAMASKINOS GANAS Pastor West against them. Before his visit devastating the defensive works at anger of Christianity, inflamed by to Peloponnesos, he saw countless the Isthmus. Cyriac blames the the Protestant Reformation, Greek MARIA MANOLIS Greek women and girls and boys Fr. Edward Bodnar, S.J., Profes- Turkish invasion of Peloponnesos influence survived in Western Eu- Principal being sold like cattle in the markets sor Emeritus in the Department to the “slothful neglect of our rope, spreading beyond Florence, www.soteriosellenas.org of Macedonia and Thrace. In Adri- of Classics at Georgetown Uni- princes.” “What an enormity!” he Padua, Rome and Venice. anople, he came across a slave versity, is interested profession- says. “Alas for the ancient nobility The books under review give us Congratulations market selling thousands of ally in the survival and rediscov- of our superior race! For I think an honest clue of the Promethean Greeks. These were the prisoners ery of Classical Antiquity (archi- that the pitiable disaster inflicted importance of ancient Hellenic cul- to the Graduating Classes of the Turks after the 1431 fall of tecture, sculpture, inscriptions, on this people by the barbarians – ture and the horrific price Greeks of Soterios Ellenas School Thessalonike. He rushed to Rome coins, gems, manuscripts) in ear- even if they are Greeks and in a paid for losing their freedom to the for their excellent results where he lobbied his friend Pope ly Renaissance Italy and the late sense deserve punishment – that Romans and, through them, to the and acceptances to Eugene IV to declare war against Byzantine (prior to 1453) Lev- this lamentable downfall of Chris- Christians. Greek athletics cush- the prestigious high schools the Turks, whom he described as ant, particularly as reported in tians must be thought of as a seri- ioned the conquest of Greece by of the city: “barbarians” and “the cruel de- the travel-diaries, letters, draw- ous setback for our religion and a Rome while the ruins of Greek cul- vourers of Christians.” Eugene fol- ings, and other writings of Kyri- great humiliation of the Latin ture, which the Italian merchant Staten Island Tech lowed Cyriac’s advice. First, he in- akos (Cyriac) of Ancona. name.” Cyriac of Ancona studied in the Fort Hamilton High School vited the Orthodox to join the True, the Greeks were about to 1440s, triggered the Renaissance St. Saviour Catholic, and the churches became those years make up the contents vanish. Pope Eugene’s crusade that made our world. Fontbonne Hall Academy one in 1439, ending the 1054 of this memorable volume. against the Turks failed because Bishop Kearney Honors schism. Then, in 1443, the pope In 1446, Cyriac visited Chios the divided Europeans were un- E.G. Vallianatos is the author of Bishop Ford launched a crusade against the and, instantly, he fell in love with willing to fight for the Greeks “The Passion of the Greeks: Leon Goldstein Turks, the year Cyriac went to the birthplace of Homeros. He was whom they considered heretics Christianity and the Rape of the Xaverian Honors Greece, exploring the country until very impressed with the global ex- worthy of punishment. They had Hellenes” (Clock and Rose Press, 1449. The letters and diaries of port of the gum, the “glittering conveniently forgotten that the 2006).

THE SAINT NICHOLAS WILLIAM SPYROPOULOS 8th GRADE GREEK AMERICAN Athena Batistatos Maria Castillo DAY SCHOOL Ioanna Epthimiatos Mission Nikos Giasemis of the Vicki Haskopoulos school Kiriaki Karatzas Isidora Koutsoulias To provide our children Nadia Makos with a solid education Demetrios Michel based on Hellenic Maggie Papayiannis Christian ideals and Pieros Pipergias principles that will Konstantinos Theodoratos instil good character, strong intellect 6th GRADE and the capacity Dimitrios Galiouras to make a valuable Constantine Haskopoulos contribution to society Joanne Koutsoulias Dimitrios Lintzeris 43-15 196th Street Mario Mazidis Flushing, NY 11358 Panagiota Theodoridis (718) 357-5583 Theodoros Dimitrios Vlagakos 14 THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 A Voyage to a Past that Shaped Our Future

– “getting my drivers license was downright Byzantine.” How impor- tant could the Byzantines be? Yet Byzantium’s influence lives today. We see it most directly in the Orthodox Church. A product of Byzantine civilization, it still forms the core of Greek American her- itage. Byzantium’s gifts forged the modern world. The record of their accomplishments has generally been accessible only to scholars, presented in arid papers or convo- School year luted books. It has rarely been ac- cessible to the general public. starting Until “Sailing From Byzantium” SEPTEMBER 2007 appeared, in 2006, that is. In a slim volume (it contains under 300 pages of text) Colin Wells explains Accepting applications “Sailing From how Byzantium influenced the de- on a first come, velopment of three of today’s most first served basis Byzantium: How a important civilization: Western Eu- for students entering Lost Empire Shaped rope, Arab society, and the Slavon- Grade 3 through Grade 6 ic world. the World” Had Byzantium disappeared along with the Western Roman Em- Our Goal: By Colin Wells pire, our world would be much dif- Delacorte Press, ferent – and much worse. The her- To provide a 335 pages, $22 itage of Ancient Rome and Greece classical based would have been lost. primary school The Western Renaissance, nor the Islamic Enlightenment that Colin Wells has studied with eminent Byzantinist Speros Vryonis Jr. education, rich preceded it, would not have taken at UCLA and holds an M.A. from Oxford University in Greats (Greek in the studies place. Civilization of Russia and and Latin language and literature). He has spent over a decade lec- of humanities Eastern Europe would have been turing and writing about history. In "Sailing From Byzantium," Wells and literature delayed – that part of Europe offers an assessment on Byzantium's impact on the modern world. would have remained Iron Age barbarians for another 500 years. and religion – as well as Byzan- world, including the tensions be- Program Wells shows the gifts that each tine’s fatalism. A combination of tween the Hesychasts – who felt neighbor received from Byzan- Orthodoxy’s mystical contempla- that faith and Orthodoxy were the Highlights tium. Like a Byzantine triptych, the tion and missionary zeal propelled solutions to Byzantines problems – • Enriched curriculum focused book has three sections, one for the Slavs to dominate the north- and the Byzantine humanists – on meeting and exceeding each of Byzantium’s neighbors, eastern quarter of the Eurasian those that felt that reason alone THE STATE where the reader follows the histo- continent. was sufficient, when combined PERFORMANCE ry of Byzantium’s interactions with Wells discusses how the affected with the knowledge of the Ancient STANDARDS and influences upon each neigh- cultures acknowledged their bor- Greeks. in all curriculum disciplines bor. rowings from Byzantium. Renais- Reason and faith were warp and By Mark N. Lardas The gifts were very different, sance Europe recognized the weft in the fabric of Byzantine soci- Special to The National Herald • Daily class of too. Each civilization obtained knowledge that fueled it came ety. Neither Hesychasts nor hu- Greek language, history, what interested it most. The West from Constantinople. Moscow still manists could maintain a healthy art, literature/mythology Asked about the glory that was took humanism – the basis for to- styles itself “The Third Rome,” with society without the presence of the Greece, most – including those of day’s liberal arts education. Bor- Constantinople as the acknowl- other group. Wells shows how the • Reduced class size Greek descent – talk about Ancient rowings from Ancient Greek litera- edged “Second Rome.” increasing unwillingness to com- Greece: wise Athens, laconic Spar- ture and humanities – grammar, Yet, as Wells shows in this book, promise – by both groups – weak- • Theater workshops/internships ta; or ancient wonders: the Colos- rhetoric, and philosophy -- fueled circumstance allowed the breadth ened Byzantium. • Partnerships with the sus of Rhodes, the Statue of Zeus, the Renaissance. Eventually these and scope of the Byzantium’s influ- The book’s greatest irony? The Greek government even the Lighthouse of Alexandria. gifts propelled the west into revo- ence to be forgotten. Sometimes Hesychast triumph over the hu- We even claim Alexander, de- lutionary advances in both the so- distance caused the memory to manists early in the 14th century • Educational field trips spite not-quite-Greek Macedonian cial and physical sciences that re- fade – the English-speaking peo- was a major factor in preserving antecedents. He was so successful, main the hallmark of Western civi- ples who write most of today’s his- Ancient Greek literature the Hesy- • Foreign travel and created the mold from which lization. tory had little direct contact with chasts despised. Byzantine human- “live fast, die young, leave beauti- The Arabs extracted Greek sci- Byzantium. Much of the core of ists departed for Italy with copies ∆ωρεάν ful memories” would later be tak- ence, medicine and philosophy. western hard science – medicine, of these ancient books – books that εκπαίδευση en. This led to the Arabic Enlighten- astronomy, and physics – has roots would have been destroyed in the Most overlook Byzantium. The ment, a golden age of Islamic sci- in Islamic science, developed dur- Islamic conquest of Constantinople NEW YORK STATE Byzantines are often viewed as ence. It gave them a technological ing the Islamic Enlightenment, in 1453 had the humanists won FUNDED losers – beaten by both the barbar- lead over their neighbors – until fa- which was fueled by Byzantium’s and stayed. ian West and Islamic East. Or as a natics forced the repudiation of gifts. The Europeans of that time Wells’ book restores Byzantium to distant, romantic destination, as in gifts obtained from ancient pagans. did not realize where the Arabs the prominence that it deserves. He CALL NOW the Yeats poem “Sailing to Byzan- The Slavs, especially the Russ, gained their knowledge. shows how this civilization fought to (718) 499-0957 tium.” Byzantium is also associated from which Russia would emerge, Wells also shows the conflicts preserve its ancient heritage, how it with overcomplicated bureaucracy adopted Byzantium’s art, music that raged within the Byzantine went through its own sets of dark THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 15 ages and enlightenments, and how TNH: Were there other major in- but these other cultures actively Bulgarian monk, who introduced History grew out of the ancient the knowledge it had was passed on fluences in your study of Byzan- seeking out those aspects of Byzan- the Russian Orthodox Church to Greeks’ attempts to explain the nat- to three other civilizations. He does tium? tine culture that really excited Hesychastism), the contemporary ural in a rational way.” so in a book that is approachable – CW: John Meyendorff, an Or- them. There was as much pull as of Chrysoloras. His determination TNH: A “brief” history? Does and fascinating. thodox priest but a fine historian, push. That such different things did so much to shape the course of this mean another attempt to create Wells, a self-described WASP, who like Professor Vryonis focused could be found in Byzantium tells Russian history. an approachable book on a difficult grew up in upstate New York, on faith and reason in his analysis. you something about its extraordi- That's one for each section in the subject? where he now lives. What drew his One of my great regrets in life is nary cultural richness, too. book. For the other two guests, per- CW: When I started out, I want- interest to Byzantium – and write a that I never got to meet Father John TNH: If someone, whose inter- haps Patriarch Photius (who insti- ed to become the Stephen Jay book like “Sailing From Byzan- (as he was known), who passed est was sparked by “Sailing From tuted the mission of Cyril and Gould of Byzantium, the guy who tium?” It took 15 years of effort for away in the early 1990s, just as I Byzantium” wanted to read further, Methodius) would have to be invit- made a complex and relatively un- Wells to sell the book to a publisher. was beginning the research for Sail- does you have any recommenda- ed, just because he's so monumen- known subject into something that To find out, The National Herald in- ing from Byzantium. tions? tal a figure. I'd probably want to in- a curious general reader could find terviewed Wells. Also, a professor of international CW: For a lively read, I'd start vite a modern scholar like N.G. Wil- interesting and accessible. Now I've TNH: How did you connect with relations at the London School of with John Julius Norwich's short son, too, who would love to pick expanded that ambition a little -- I'd Byzantium? Economics named Fred Halliday, history of Byzantium. He's a great Photius's brain on the state of clas- like to be the Stephen Jay Gould of CW: I was an English and histo- who emphasizes changing histori- raconteur, and since his books focus sical literature in ninth century history as a whole. It seems to me ry major at UCLA in the 1980s. For cal circumstances and how they on palace intrigue and military his- Byzantium. history could be better served by its some reason I signed up for a class give greater political traction to tory, it would be a good comple- Then maybe an emperor – it popular writers. But Byzantine his- in Byzantine history, which was a some agendas and less to others. In ment to my book. would be a toss-up between Justin- tory will always be a touchstone in subject I knew nothing about. I did- many ways, the overall approach to TNH: Suppose you could hold a ian, Heraclius, Basil II, Alexius I, or that effort. History is a Greek inven- n't even know what "Byzantine his- history I take in the book is an ex- dinner, inviting five people dis- Manuel II. Each was a superb tion, and the Byzantines were the tory" meant. But I got hooked right tension of some of the arguments cussed in his book – with a few leader and a pivotal figure in ones who carried it on when it dis- away. and interpretations of these last modern scholars, to season the Byzantine history with fascinating appeared in the West. The professor, Speros Vryonis, two scholars. evening. Who would you invite? insights to offer. If I invited Manuel TNH: With luck, we will not Jr., reminded me of someone I TNH: Why did the different cul- CW: Manuel Chrysoloras (a II, maybe I'd invite the pope, too, need to wait another 15 years be- knew – the father of my best friend, tures that were influenced by diplomat and educator who was along with Karen Armstrong (a fore the next book appears. who belongs to a Greek American Byzantium take such different di- the first modern teacher of Ancient modern monotheistic theologian), family. Or rather a Greek Canadian rections with the information they Greek in Italy), definitely, since all just to stir the pot a bit! Mark Lardas, a Texan of Greek family – they are from Montreal, collected? accounts describe him as so inter- TNH: What is next for you? descent, was born and grew up and had a summer place in the CW: Ultimately, it should be rec- esting and dynamic. Hunayn ibn CW: My next book will be a brief in Ann Arbor, Michigan. An engi- town where I grew up in northern ognized that the younger cultures Ishaq (a Nestorian Christian who history of history. It will start from neer who works at a major aero- New York. They even shared the took as active a role as the Byzan- translated Greek medical and scien- the birth of history – with space company, he is also a free- same bad jokes! So there was a tines themselves. It wasn't just tific works into Arabic), too, to rep- Herodotus and Thucydides, and lance writer, amateur historian Greek American genesis to the Byzantium passing on its culture, resent the caliphate. Cyprian (a come forward to the present day. and model-maker. book, in a way. TNH: Although you never stud- ied under Vryonis as a graduate student, you believe Vryonis proved to be one of the most pro- found influences on your education and approach to history, correct? CW: I took Vyronis’ three under- graduate Byzantine history classes and then two graduate seminars that he offered on historiography. He kindly let me enroll in even though I was an undergraduate. In none of these did the theme of faith and reason come up that I remember (I got that from reading articles of his much later). But I did absorb some aspects of his overall approach, a sort of rational, even dispassionate, evenhandedness that I still aspire to in my writing. For example, in one of the semi- nars we looked at controversial ar- eas of Greek historiography like the famous ‘racial continuity’ question, which arose after 19th century Eu- ropean scholars disparaged modern Greeks as basically Slavs in racial background and therefore not real- ly ‘Greek.’ This was part of the ‘glo- ry that was Greece’ thing taken up by the Germans, the British, and others.” After presenting the various sides of the controversy itself, Pro- fessor Vryonis' response was basi- cally to chuckle at this foolishness and to observe that the Helleniza- tion of the Slavic immigrants in the Greek mainland merely under- scored the great vitality of Greek culture”. 16 THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007

Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Demetrios Effacing Athens

JAMAICA DAY SCHOOL me, an Athenian of many genera- 122, when his grandfather dies and Athens. This omission allows Sar- tions, making me wonder whether Sarrinikolaou, incongruously (for rinikolaou to claim an exceptional it is a distorted sense of Athens that his relatives, as he notes) weeps, he position and voice a particular com- I have or Sarrinikolaou’s Athens recognizes that he does not weep plaint: his encounters for this book 84-35 152nd Street that I do not recognize. The most for his grandfather but that he were all fresh ones, giving him thus Jamaica, New York 11432 disturbing element of this book is grieves “for a lifetime … spent the opportunity to start relation- Tel.: (718) 526-2622 the impression it gives that there is away from them, for all the years … ships and friendships anew while, Fax: (718)526-1680 no place in this city where the psy- lived without Grandfather, for all simultaneously, excluding him from REGISTER NOW FOR OUR TUITION FREE che can find some rest from the the time that I can never get back.” the depth of already established slaps and miseries that make up The book is written in 10 chap- friendships. But one has to wonder UPK CLASS FOR SEPTEMBER 2007 modern every day life the world ters which, much like the Ten Com- about how available Sarrinikolaou over. There are no real friendships, mandments, point out the mortal makes himself to deep relationships Mission Statement nor relationships that exist outside sins of modern Athens and Atheni- by shifting positions constantly be- Our mission at Jamaica Day School either of the adoration of the in- ans: Domestic violence, racism, os- tween being there and not being of St. Demetrios is to profoundly affect the lives of our students. By providing significant and the superficial (the tentation, greed, systemic exclusion there at the same time. How would an environment steeped in the moral night clubs, the men’s groups, the of the foreigners, prostitution, cor- it be possible for anyone to be both values of the Greek Orthodox Church, we seek to develop individuals who employer and the immigrant rela- ruption, adultery, hatred, hypocrisy. a detached objective observer and a learn and grow in an atmosphere tionship) or outside the cynicism The chapters are the backbone on participant at the same time? As an- characterized by self discipline, respect that Sarrinikolaou has found perva- which Sarrinikolaou tries to portray thropologists know, something has for others and, most of all, a strong “Facing Athens. moral fiber. We teach and serve with an sive in this city of over four million present-day Athens while, all the to give: either the claim to objectiv- enthusiasm born of special competence Encounters with people, a city certainly on the brink while, is trying to figure out why ity or the claim to belonging to the and a singular devotion to our students, of ecological collapse. And we his family’s experience of Athens inner core. which ignites within them an enduring the Modern City passion for learning and a special desire know all this because, as the author has been as unbearable as it truly Throughout the book one gets to serve their community. By George Sarrinikolaou mentions on page xii of the Pro- seems to have been. This is a family the impression that Sarrinikolaou’s North Point Press, 2004, 144 pages. logue, the forces that shape Athens that lived in four different houses in Greek is on native level, that he has Why should today are four and very specific: four different neighborhoods in the not acquired the hesitance of the my child attend? $18 money, history, immigration, vio- course of ten years: Liosia (a work- returning native language, that Saint Demetrios celebrates the the lence. ing class neighborhood primarily when he encounters people there is uniqueness and talents of every child. Our school offers a nurturing environment Sarrinikolaou has bones to pick no trace of an accent or of discon- with a comprehensive, developmentally with the city, and it is in the last Sarrinikolaou has bones nect with the current language that appropriate, standards-based chapter that the reader finds out would betray the fact that he does curriculum to maximize the intellectual, to pick with the city, social and emotional curriculum to where the source of his discontent not live in Athens. But by trying to maximize the intellectual, social and is located: in the experience that his and it is in the last see what a non-native would see in emotional growth of all children. Our family has had in the city in the few chapter that the reader Athens by traveling through the administrators, teachers, parents and By Neni Panourgiά children work together to achieve years that they lived there. This is finds out where the “other” neighborhoods, those excellence and a love of learning. Special to The National Herald one of the strengths of the book, source of his discontent where the tourists and native Athe- that it does not give it all away from nians never go, Sarrinikolaou has • Advanced Early Childhood Program is located Full and Half Day “The scene gnaws at me as if I the beginning. But we have to wait produced the dialectical opposite, • Kindergarten - Full Day have been confronted with this sort until page 114 to be told that this squatted by Gypsies and the place the flip side of what every celebra- • Standards Based program of indecency for the first time … author does have some contact of the city dump, Sarrinikolaou tory guide to Athens has produced • New York State Certified Teachers Perhaps because this is my city” with his family in Athens, and more notes, but also the place where in- until now: where “good food and • Grades 1 to 8 • Greek Language Program George Sarrinikolaou writes on importantly, that he still has a ternal migrants settled in the great music” would appear in any Fully Equipped Computer Lab page 43 of his book “Facing Athens: grandfather in the city. Until then 1950s), Petroupolis (another work- other guide cheap whiskey and bad • Extracurricular Activities Encounters with the Modern City.” we do not know that Sarrinikolaou ing class neighborhood squatted music appears in Sarrinikolaou’s. • Exciting Field Trips • Small Class Sizes And this sentiment is at the core of has ever visited his grandfather, from the 1930s to the 1950s, legal- Where “blue skies and the beautiful with Personalized Attention this book, the sentiment that the much less that he cares enough for ized after 1955, and with a quarry Parthenon” appear in any Fodor’s, • Strong Emphasis author encounters all the misery, all him to wait all night long outside active until the 1970s), Dafne (an in Sarrinikolaou we encounter dirt, on Discipline and Moral Values • Excellent Preparation for the indecencies, all the cynicism the operating room while the old working-class neighborhood) scum, and the kitsch of the Acropo- Specialized and Parochial and harshness of life for the first grandfather is undergoing surgery and Nea Penteli (an upper middle- lis. The result is as superficial and High School Entrance Exam time in Athens. and to be utterly appalled by the class neighborhood built in the stereotypical as any. The only dif- This is a demanding and sophis- behavior of the internist and the 1970s on forest land). Precisely be- ference is that Sarrinikolaou looks ticated book that needs to be con- surgeon who, Sarrinikolaou claims, cause this trajectory is so atypical in at other surfaces than Fodor’s does. fronted on its own grounds. George left the operating room in the mid- a city where most of its residents And he makes mistakes. Pana- Sarrinikolaou can write, and he can dle of the operation to go outside owned their houses and had close thenaikos is not “a third Athenian write well. His phrases are expertly and remind the family of the ties to their neighborhoods, the en- team.” Panathenaikos was the first turned, his transitions smooth, his arranged bribe in order for them to counters of the Sarrinikolaou fami- athletic club to be established in WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A STUDENT AT SAINT DEMETRIOS command of the English language finish the operation. ly in the different parts of the city Athens, in 1908, and the “eternal” JAMAICA DAY SCHOOL? astonishing, the emotions that it One wonders, however, about must have been difficult. opponent of Olympiakos. Actually • A student at Jamaica Day School can transport to the reader rich and Sarrinikolaou’s emotional reaction The family immigrated to New the two teams are referred to as the of Saint Demetrios has pride -pride in his/her school, his/her deep. There are brilliant moments, to the event. Is his reaction a deeply York in 1980, when the author was “aionioi,” meaning “aionioi an- community, him and herself. such as the description of Omonoia felt, genuine sense of love and af- 10 years old, and settled in Astoria. tipaloi” (eternal opponents). • A student at Jamaica Day School Square. Yet, there is something fection for his grandfather, or is it a Since then the parents divorced, Athenian soccer was really domi- of Saint Demetrios has honor -honor in working to make him/ heavy and unbearable in this book, moralism that seeks to chastise and the father who used to beat his wife nated by the adversity of these two herself a better person and in like a tombstone. In short, there is expose Greek doctors for doing returned to Greece, and the mother main clubs for the largest part of sharing that honor with his or her school. no joy in this book, with the result things that doctors in other, civi- and two children remained here. the 20th century until AEK became • A student at Jamaica Day School that one is left recognizing perfectly lized places would never think of Sarrinikolaou mentions in passing a stable enough team to puncture of Saint Demetrios has courage the slice of what Sarrinikolaou calls doing? Anyone who has been to the that he has visited Greece almost the scene. If Sarrinikolaou’s visit to -courage to stand out for what is right when it seems that everyone “Athens” (as he talks not about the emergency room in the U.S. and every summer since the year of mi- Athens for the purposes of this book else is doing the opposite. city of Athens but the greater ad- has been greeted by the insurance gration, although there is no men- took place for three months in • A student at Jamaica Day School ministrative region of the capital) manager before being seen by a tion anywhere as to whether those spring of 2003 (as he alludes to) of Saint Demetrios has love a -love for his fellow human beings while trying desperately to find the doctor would be hard pressed to visits produced any friendships, ac- Olympiakos was not playing in so that we all may have rest of the fragments talk about such differences, of quaintances, or closeness with the Kalogreza (the Olympic Stadium) a better world to live in. This is particularly alarming to course. Although later on, on page family that had remained in but in Rizoupoli, and Olympiakos THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 17

century it was a village where Ar- banians as they leave the mansions in this book. One is the desire for vanites had lived without break for with “dirt caked in the cracks of the true and accurate representa- four centuries. their fingers and under their finger- tion of modern day Athens. The Do these mistakes matter? Do nails” as he imagines “the mani- other is the desire for a pure and they cancel Sarrinikolaou’s experi- cured hand of the villa’s mistress unadulterated beauty in Athens, a ment of producing the most truth- dipping into a Chanel purse to pay utopia that would have made the ful account of Athens possible? Do her Albanian gardener,” and con- harshness of the author’s childhood they take anything away from the cludes that “this Garden of Eden more bearable. But that’s not what literary value of the book? The re- needs the cheap labor to keep it wa- Athens is. Athens, just like any oth- sponse to these questions is located tered and pruned.” He witnesses er big and old city, is a conglomer- in the project that Sarrinikolaou the complete collapse of gender re- ate of events, experiences, terrains, has set for himself. Sarrinikolaou lationships and notes that “what people, desires, specters of the ur- calls on his eyewitness experiences strikes him in Athens, as opposed to bane. There is nothing exceptional of the city to account for the validi- his other home, New York, is how in Athens; it’s a city that has beauty ty of his claims. He does not seem conspicuous the role of money can and ugliness, wealth and poverty, to rely on second-hand material. He be in sexual relationships.” Sus- truth and lies, joy and sorrow, cru- himself goes to the soccer match pending disbelief for a moment elty and tenderness. Just like the where he sees AEK soccer fans ex- about the role of money in sexual humanity that inhabits it. After all, hibit behavior “straight out of a relationships in New York and de- as Kevin Andrews told us so many Nazi rally” as he writes. He himself ciding not to pose the question of years ago, “If it’s beauty you want goes to Metaxourgeio, the working marriage as institutionalized prosti- go to Italy, go to the Cotswolds, go class neighborhood at the center of tution (as Sarrinikolaou seems to to a museum; don’t come to Athens Athens where he encounters three be implying), one needs to ask where something else might hap- middle-aged men sitting on the what are the terms of comparison pen.” So, should you read this stoop of a house. Through this en- of the two settings: the newly rich book? Absolutely. Should you trust counter with them that lasts for a Athenians and the newly rich New it? Only at your own risk. couple of hours (at most, if that Yorkers? The newly rich Athenians long, as he never tells us) he comes and the off-the-center, intellectual Neni Panourgiά is associate pro- away having decided that the New Yorkers? Immigrants in the fessor of anthropology at Colum- Athenian suspiciousness towards U.S. and immigrants in Greece? It is bia University. Her book, “Frag- the others is not, as Greeks claim, this level of superficiality that ments of Death, Fables of Identi- MARTIN BRADING xenophobia, but outright racism. makes the mistakes about Pana- ty: an Athenian Anthropography” George Sarrinikolaou, born in Athens in 1970, came to New York This is not a conclusion at which he thenaikos, and Ekali, and Kifisia (University of Wisconsin Press) with his family at the age of ten. He was educated at Cornell and Co- arrives through second-hand infor- matter. It is the fact that there is received the Grand Jury Prize of lumbia and worked as a journalist before turning to enviromental mation, but one that is securely lo- something that is suspect about his the International Society for Eth- policy. cated on his own, unmediated ex- claim to the authenticity (and nohistory (1996) and was a co- perience. He doesn’t rely on the de- truthfulness) of his witness experi- winner of the Chicago Folklore did not tie with Akratitos (the team the one of Politeia but of Ekali, and scription of others about the en- ence, not because we, as readers Prize (1997). Her new book, from Liosia, Sarrinikolaou’s native long before Kifissia was picked for counter between the filthy rich resi- ask for such truthfulness, but be- “Dangerous Citizens: The Flesh neighborhood) but won 4-0 in Sep- the summer residences of the Be- dents of Politeia and the dirt poor cause he, as the author, has set of Dissidence and the Terror of tember 2002 and 5-2 in February nakis, the Deltas, and the Albanian day laborers; he gets on truthfulness at the core of his book. the State,” is forthcoming (Fall 2003. The famous tennis club is not Dragoumises in the turn of the 20th the bus to Politeia and sees the Al- There are two pervasive desires 2008).

The Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center of Chicago is proud to announce the creation of a Helllenic Writers Guild which will showcase authors and their works from all over the nation. Under the umbrella of the museum, the guild will allow for; promotion of authors and their works, archiving of their books and body of works in our library, opportunity to sell volumes in HMCC gift shop, allow works to be entered into competitions, offer space for book signings at the HMCC and many other things.

To this end, the Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center asks that all Greek American authors submit their names, address, e-mail address, phone number and bibliography list of their works to the attention of Nick Vern, Hellenic Writers Guild Chairman, 801 W. Adams (4th Floor), Chicago, Illinois 60657. Authors may also submit this information via email at [email protected]. 18 THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 Dan Georgakas’ Memoir Gives Us a Better Understanding of the World By Steve Frangos ters. Rather than beginning with his unquestionably intended for a Special to The National Herald birth, Georgakas opens with his first Protestant American readership. visit to Greece. Then he traces his life Without going into greater detail Dan Georgakas’ long-awaited bi- in Detroit, inner woven with stories these accounts largely follow aboli- ography “My Detroit: Growing Up about his parents, papou and the tionist/slave narratives of this peri- Greek and American in Motor City” other Greeks of his youth. Yet at all od. offers more than was expected (New times Georgakas never examines or The Second Period of Greek York: Pella, 2006). I say long awaited considers any Greek; himself, those American Memoir corresponds to because this memoir is a reworking in Greece or the Detroit Greeks out- the 1880 to 1920 era of Greek immi- of a nearly two-year serial of bio- side of their wider social contexts. grants. The Second Period does have graphic vignettes that appeared from Dan Georgakas is a leading intel- its own host of recognizable genre late 1988 well into 1989, in the now lectual figure in Greek American subsets: “my experiences as an immi- defunct newspaper, GreekAmerican. studies and an exremely well-recog- grant,” “my life in America as a Readers with a familiarity with this nized labor historian. His volume, a Greek abroad (clearly offered in op- “My Detroit: Growing series will be both surprised and per- unique contribution, will appeal to position to someone actually pre- haps more than a bit confused by those interested in the history of eth- senting themselves as simultaneous- Up Greek and what has transpired in the nearly 15 nic groups in urban America, as well ly a Greek and an American),” “my American in Motor years of ongoing reflection and con- as those interested in the cultural, experiences growing up the child of siderable rewriting. In this time of economic and class transformations immigrants.” Dan Georgakas, author of "My City” unprecedented change within the evident in Detroit from roughly the Given what follows, I must stress Detroit," is the director of the By Dan Georgakas Greek American community, Geor- 1940s into the 1970s. here that at all times these accounts Greek American Studies Project gakas has forged a thoughtful narra- In the last three chapters of his are offered as real world events in an at Queens College and a New Pella Publishing, 312 pages, $17 tive any Greek in the United States memoir, Georgakas offers a sweep- acceptable Western literary point of York University professor. paperback will be served well to closely consid- ing presentation of persons and his- view. No conventions or genre motifs er. torical events. The notable and the are violated by either the First or Sec- tain volumes that absolutely adhere Georgakas offers a multiple- unknown cross these pages at a piv- ond group of Greek American mem- to the accepted norms of Western bi- world perspective. What did Greeks otal moment in the history of Detroit. oirs. Each writer, in both groups, at- ography. Fine examples of this genre do or how did they act is always of- As both an American and a Greek tests that the account is as true to would include but are not limited to fered in counterpoint to how did oth- American biography, these final events as they can reproduce. Most “Greek American Pioneer Women of ers in Detroit respond to the world chapters are among the most signifi- often, but not at all times, the se- Illinois,” Elaine Thomopoulos, editor around them. Georgakas escapes any cant in this entire volume. Let me quence of events is offered in a (Charleston: Arcadia, 2000), “Grow- Greek-Other duality. All his recollec- stress Georgakas never leaves you chronological fashion from birth to ing Up Greek in St. Louis” by tions note the sharp demarcations guessing who some one is in this death. If the writer is a person of his- Aphrodite Matsakis (Chicago: Arca- existing among the innumerable eth- memoir. Soon to be internationally torical prominence then the events dia, 2002) and Connie Kiosse’s “The nic groups and social classes that famous writers are next to long-lost offered in the narrative may cover Best of Friends Two Sisters, One made up the Detroit in which he friends. Yet it is with these final chap- specific aspects of their life or career, Journey” (Haverfield PA: Infinity grew up. ters that Georgakas turns his prime rather than a complete retelling of Publishing .com, 2003). The book is divided into 12 chap- focus away from Greek America to everything in their lives. What distinguishes this period one directed towards broader politi- The Third Period of Greek Ameri- from all others is an ever expanding cal, social and artistic issues center- can Memoirs begins in the 1980s and sub-group of accounts that complete- ing on Detroit and America at large. offers a revolution in presentation. ly ignore the accepted presentation Georgakas does deftly fold many of This period does in point of fact con- of a Western memoir. With ever these non-Greek issues back onto the concerns and thoughts of his fellow Hellenes, but the focal point has defi- nitely been turned. With all that being said, I see Georgakas’ memoir as the means to help us in our growing understand- ing of the inherent complexities of Greek American memoir. Greek American Memoir falls within three distinct periods. The first encompasses those Greeks who came to the United States as refugees and orphans between 1821 and 1829. Among these volumes are C. Plato Castanis’, “The Greek Exile” (Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1851), “Photius Fisk: A Biography” credited solely to Lyman F. Hodge but clearly co-authored by Fisk (Boston: 1891), and George M. Colvocoresses’, “Hoi sphages tou 1822 kai he zoe mou/The Massacres of Chios-1822: A Personal Narrative written for my Family” (Athena: Ekdose Philo- proodou Homilou Kampou, 1992). Xenophon Georgakas and Demetrius Demos, boyhood friends from As I have written in the past, these Sidirokastro, a village in the Peloponnesus near Kyparissia, are accounts are offered as straight for- shown shortly after their arrival in Detroit in the mid-1910s. ward autobiographies/biographies Dan Georgakas and his mother on their front porch in Detroit: 1964. THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 19

quirements of the Western memoir, they also faced the then indisputable supposition of the natural superiority of American over Greek culture and society. This common “separate but equal” stance is not the same posi- tion. But it does speak to a shared discomfort and rejection of accepted memoir conventions. For Georgakas’ non-Greek read- ers the last few chapters of “My De- troit” may prove far more interesting than all the rest. This has to do with who Dan Georgakas became after the events described in this volume end. Dan Georgakas is of that group of scholars who have gained intellec- tual renown before they turned or re- turned their intellectual attention to their Greek heritage. Academics and Intellectual Others such as Theodore Saloutos, Helen Papanikolas, An- drew T. Kopan, Alexander Karanikas, Charles Moskos, Alice Scourby and Eva Catafygiotu Topping all gained their livelihoods and whatever Panayiotes Vlahantones, the “mayor” of Detroit’s Greektown, at a prominence they initially achieved in Greektown grocery in 1976. some field other than Greek Ameri- Five ladies and three generations. Bottom right: Katina Ziguris; Back can Studies. right: Sophia Georgakas with the Vlahos family: daughter, mother, growing numbers we see memoirs concerning memoirs. That each of Figures such as Kopan or grandmothers in 1955. All but the Vlahos daughter were born in Asia such as “Aimilia-Georgios/Emily- these writers could/can tell fact from Karanikas were so prominent in the Minor. George” by Helen Papanikolas (Salt fiction. So, logically if all that is the Greek American community that Lake City: University of Utah Press, case why violate these conventions? many will say I am totally misrepre- the situation under examination, As any reader of the especially 1983), Nicholas Gage’s “Eleni” (New Why leave yourself open to this kind senting their lives. But let us not for- highlight their similarities and differ- fine “My Detroit” will quickly discov- York: Random House, 1983), or of criticism? get that while Kopan and Karanikas ences under varying conditions. The er, the author gives us a better under- “Austin Lunch: Greek American Rec- Readership can be the only an- were unquestionably dynamic Greek collectivist voice, on the other hand, standing of the world around us. ollections” by Constance M. Constant swer. American civic leaders, in their pro- fuses persons and perspectives in a This has always been at the very (River Vale, Cosmos, 2005) which all If “Emily and George,” “Eleni,” or fessional careers they were required claim to be many individuals speak- heart of that ardent Hellene and true completely veer away from the ac- “Austin Lunch” or any of the other by the academic system they entered ing as one. To be sure, it is a critical American, Dan Georgakas. We once cepted genre format of Western Greek American memoirs that as- to address other requirements first difference that cannot be ignored. again find ourselves in his intellectu- memoirs. sume this collectivist persona stood and only afterwards work within the There is a Greek folk saying, “One al debt. The above authors (as well as the alone, they would be an aberration. system to change it to their own hand washes the other and both others in this broad grouping) blur Yet a group of writers totally uncon- ends. wash the face.” It is in that spirit that Steve Frangos, a regular contribu- one person with another by first of- nected to each other have indepen- It is interesting to note here is that we can see Georgakas’ biography tor to The National Herald, travels fering their own thoughts and then dently chosen the same multi-per- those who take the collectivist view- and the collectivists as offering in- throughout the country investigat- jumping into another person’s mind sona presentation. Logically then, point are not academics. It is my be- sight into each other without deny- ing and gathering historical infor- and offering that second person’s given their common choice of a col- lief that these writers are drawing ing them their own individual per- mation about the Greek American thoughts. Many of these collective bi- lective-voice, all I can assume is that upon the Greek concept of “dikos” spectives and considerable individ- community. Readers can contact ographies open with the statement of they are all independently drawing which roughly translated means, in ual achievements. him at [email protected]. collective authorship with then no upon some organic commonly held social terms, as “those family and indication of when one or another of Greek American collective under- friends with whom I am a part.” This the co-authors is speaking. Many standing. Since this choice is so clear- can explain the conflation of identity, present dialogue that the author ly in open opposition to the domi- the inclusion of so many individuals freely admits they never heard. And nant culture’s concept of what con- in many of these accounts and the Writings of Harris P. Jameson regrettably more than a few largely stitutes an autobiography/biogra- announcement that the narrative ignore any kind of story develop- phy/memoir, then these Greek speaker is more than one person. ment (as pacing, or in a well-bal- American writers are not writing to In “My Detroit: Growing Up I. Jameson’s Chronicles anced beginning, middle and end please or even engage Anglo-Saxons. Greek and American in Motor City,” story format) by stuffing the narra- I do not believe any Greek Ameri- Georgakas offers a multiple-perspec- Volume I ...... $6.95 tive with information about a wide cans are carefully seeking out earlier tive, where more can be learned by array of people largely peripheral to Greek American writers to learn situationally “seeing” the world as a Volume II ...... $6.95 the central story. All of this occurs about a commonly shared past. I do Greek, American, or Other than any with the overall effect that from a not believe there is a self-conscious one viewpoint taken alone. Geor- Western point of view they are no shared Greek American voice that is gakas extends and so refines this in- BOTH FOR ...... $12.00 longer writing a ‘factual’ biographi- learned from reading. That is what terpretative perspective by demon- cal account of any sort but one that is makes this explosion of multi-per- strating that fundamental economic fantasy at best. sona accounts so exciting to discover. and social class considerations can II. Novel “For Sully’s Sake”...... $10.25 The common core of these new These authors are drawing on shared never be ignored. I believe Geor- Greek American biographies is the cultural mode of expression that is in gakas’ biography, among its many ALL THREE FOR ...... $20.00 conflation or compression of various no sense literate. other accomplishments, can serve as personas into a single voice. I take it “My Detroit” and these collectivist an intellectual bridge to those au- NAME: ______on faith that any and all the writers, memoirs intersect at one crucial thors engaged in the multi-persona ADDRESS: ______living or dead could and still can dis- point: the rejection of a single cultur- perspective. CITY: ______STATE: ____ ZIP: ______tinguish between themselves and al point of view as being inherently Inherently each perspective rec- others. That these Greek American superior over all others. Castanis, ognizes the social chorus all around Mail to: Jameson’s Chronicles writers, each and every one, Fisk and Colvocoresses were con- us. Georgakas places people in vari- 37 Central St., Wakefield, MA 01880-1755 knew/know Western conventions fined not simply by the genre re- ous groupings that, depending on 20 THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 A Greek Voice for our Times

al literary public. Samarakis has been translated into no less than 33 different languages. Although some of his stories have been avail- able in English-language maga- zines, a new collection of his short fiction has been long overdue. “The Passport and Other Selected Short Stories” answers that need and strives to bring a notable Greek au- thor to the attention of a broad American public. The eight stories that have been anthologized and translated by An- drew Horton are vintage Sama- rakis. Each story focuses on a sin- “The Passport and gle character who is bedeviled by one or another aspect of contem- other Selected Short porary society. The problem often Stories” involves the maddening ways of an errant political or social system. By Antonis Samarakis Just as often, however, the prob- (Translated by Andrew Horton) lem stems from within an individ- Cosmos Publishing, 110 pages, ual who is confounded by his or $16.95, paperback her inability to deal with the stress- es and anxieties of the modern world. However complex the polit- ical or emotional problems being TNH/COSTAS BEJ addressed, the writing is always Greece's General Consulate in New York and the Hellenic Literature Society hosted a celebration of Greek crisp and direct. Samarakis writes author, Antonis Samarakis, on February 16, 2007 at the Greek Press and Communication Office. Sama- in the economical tradition of a rakis' book, "The Passport and Other Short Stories," translated by Andrew Horton, was presented. From Hemingway rather than in the left to right are Catherine Boura, Consul General of Greece in New York, Andrew Horton and Eleni rambling style of a Faulkner. Samarakis, widow of Antonis Samarakis. Horton, who is a screenwriter By Dan Georgakas and has written extensively on how These productions not only under- would get a passport if he would ogy at the Greek Press Office in Special to The National Herald to write character-centered scripts, score the cinematic qualities of his only write a few kind words about New York, Horton read “Mama.” believes Samarakis’ spare writing writing but their universality. In the colonels. The story begins with a woman The publication of “The Pass- style can be described as a kind of 1970 he was presented with a ma- Rather than give in to the jun- learning that the tunnel in which port and other Selected Short Sto- cinematic realism. By that, he jor literary award in France, cap- ta’s demands, Samarakis wrote her son works has collapsed, killing ries” is a testimony to the renewed means that a Samarakis short story, ping a decade in which he had won more plainly than ever before many workers. She goes to the vigor of Greek American literary like a film, mainly explores the ex- a number of literary honors in about the dictatorship in “The Pass- scene, and we follow her as she presses. These publishers always terior surfaces of the physical Greece. port.” The story’s power, as is often struggles to find out the particulars have been priceless community re- world and how the protagonist the case with Samarakis, is that it of the accident and whether her sources, but in the past few years, confronts those surfaces. Most of THE STORIES isn’t a complaint about a specific son is among the survivors. The both the number of works being the psychological drama unfolds in “The Passport,” the story that regime in a specific time and place. story has a powerful ending that translated from the original Greek dialog rather than internal medita- gives the anthology its name, was The nation in which the events brought tears to the eyes of some and the quality of that work has in- tions. The characters speak aloud, published in 1973, the final year of transpire is not identified as of the audience in New York. The creased markedly. Much of this even when speaking with them- the rule of the junta. The story Greece. Instead, the story exam- power of that ending lies in the un- publishing activity has been in the selves. Repeated references to the deals with an accountant fighting ines the responses of an ordinary expected manner in which Sama- field of poetry as Greece is rightly time or day nail down the physical the police bureaucracy to get a man when confronted with the rakis transforms the mother’s re- heralded as a nation that has pro- setting, but the descriptions are on- passport, a situation that mirrored maddening and coercive machin- sponses into emotions that go be- duced great contemporary poets ly detailed enough to spur readers Samarakis’ own real-life plight. ery of an anonymous, oppressive yond the strictly personal and fa- such as Noble Laureats George Se- to use their own imaginations to Rather than seeking safety abroad state. Language becomes an issue milial. When I asked Horton if he feris and Odysseus Elytis and inter- complete the scene. when the junta seized power in in that struggle. The honest citizen, thought this was the best story in national literary legends such as C. Horton is not alone in appreci- 1967, Samarakis had opted to re- much like the philosopher seeking the collection, he said not neces- P. Cavafy. For most of the twentieth ating the cinematic aspects of main in Greece. He thought that wisdom, uses language as a means sarily so, but that it illustrated the century, in fact, poetry books have Samarakis’ fiction. In 1960, Nikos his literary fame offered enough to clarify thought. The state, in “emotional punch” so characteris- outsold fiction in Greece, a distinc- Koundouras transformed the protection for him to be able to ar- contrast, is like a sophist who uses tic of Samarakis. tion shared with Wales and Ice- Samarakis short story “The River” gue for change from within the na- language as a means of manipula- The startling ending of “Mama” land. into a film with mixed English and tional borders, and he often gave tion. The objective of the state is to is a quality shared with other sto- The effort given to promoting Greek dialog. “The River” won a interviews to the foreign press in win the argument at hand, often at ries in the collection. In one of Greek poetic achievement has of- number of prizes and has been which he criticized the regime. the cost of abandoning logic, objec- them, the narrator, who has en- ten resulted in a lack of attention screened in the United States as Mainly, however, he wrote fiction tive data, and matters of principles. gaged us in a complex tale, turns given to Greek-language novelists “This Side of the River.” Another that mocked the oppressive state “The Passport” and other stories es- out to be dead. He has been speak- and short story writers. Nikos Kan- story, “The Jungle,” was one of four bureaucracy. Four of those stories pousing democracy that he wrote ing at his own burial ceremony. We zantzakis is the major exception. stories in an anthology film titled (“The Passport,” “Mama,” “The in this period endeared Samarakis only discover this at the end, but Even the general public knows of “Tetragono” (The Rectangle. Knife,” and “The Last Participa- to a Greek public sickened by dicta- this is not just “a trick;” a wider him as the author of “Zorba the 1977). Sections of his most fa- tion”) are in this collection. In torship. Given that 2007 will mark point is being made about the per- Greek.” But most Americans, even mous novel, “The Flow” were the 1970, the junta rewarded his ef- the fortieth anniversary of the spective with which we view most Greek Americans, would be basis for a Japanese television dra- forts by seizing his passport. At var- coup, this anthology reminds us of events. Some critics have com- surprised to know that Antonis ma and several stories have been ious points in the struggle, the se- how positively Greece has evolved pared these techniques to Franz Samarakis (1919-2003) is just as used for dramas presented on cret police told him that their ha- since the fall of the dictatorship. Kafka, but Samarakis is far more highly regarded by the internation- Greek and Canadian television. rassment would cease, and he At a presentation of the anthol- hopeful than Kafka at his most op- THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 21

Greek was largely in the demotiki tree, which meant that much in a critic at To Vima reviewed it fa- rather than katharevousa, but al- Greek culture needed to be recti- vorably, he began to reach a wide ways in the manner Greeks actual- fied. But the political views of range of readers. His work would ly speak with one another. Horton Samarakis are not easily catego- flow in numerous directions, win- has done yeoman’s work in finding rized. During World War II, he had ning plaudits from both the public American equivalents that catch been in the Resistance against the and critics, at home and abroad. the populist nature, comedy and Nazis, had been captured and then Among his American fans was play- feeling of the original Greek while had escaped. He did not, however, wright Arthur Miller who thought retaining the sense that this story is have allegiance to any particular his novel “The Flow” was memo- not unfolding in the United States. party. He said he belonged to “the rable for its profound understand- movement of the soul.” Although ing of the meaning of democracy. A MOVEMENT OF THE SOUL something of a generic anarchist Novelist Graham Greene thought Samarakis famously observed who distrusted all governments the novel was a masterpiece of that he wondered if Greece, in the and honored the potential of the imagination, wit and technical skill. process of giving off so much cul- average citizen, he thought it was In 1982, Samarakis would be hon- tural light to the world, what he wrong to ban any political party, ored by Europhalia for his overall called “the lights of civilization,” including the Communists. In an contribution to literature. had forgotten to keep one for itself. interview given in 1965, he said Andrew Horton, translator of An- For some years before his death, His perspective is not that of an that the intellectuality and spiritu- tonis Samarakis' "Passport and Samarakis had hoped to see his elitist but of a fervent democrat. ality of the common man was on a Other Selected Short Stories," is junta-era stories collected and had He was concerned that culture in much higher plane than that of the head of the film department at worked with Andrew Horton to Greece had been debased. When a king, church leaders, politicians, the University of Oklahoma and that end. Cosmos Publishing must professor at a university described university professors and writers. the author of two books on Theo be commended for publishing the himself as a civil servant, Sama- He traced the worst aspects of Angelopoulos. stories as part of its Modern Greek rakis was outraged. He thought modern Greek culture back to the Literary Library series. “The Pass- professors should be tribunes of establishment by outside forces of the genesis for his writing, he want- port and Other Selected Stories” culture, and that is not the job de- a foreign sovereign surrounded by ed his work to be infused with the anthology exemplifies one of the scription for civil servants. One of wealthy homeland and foreign same creative and playful spirit he many ways that the Greek Ameri- the stories in this collection, supporters. He posited that the stu- had felt as a child of ten when he can community and its allies con- “Anatomy Lesson, Etc.” features a dents who had revolted at the Poly- began to write poetry. His fiction tinue to support contemporary professor who begins very much in technic in 1973 had laid the foun- writing had begun in the late 1940s Greek culture. Samarakis embod- www.greeceinprint.com the civil servant mode but becomes dations for a better Greece. when he had explored story ideas ies some of the best values in Hel- Antonis Samarakis (1919-2003), the tribune his students had mis- Samarkis didn’t like to be called and themes with friends at a fa- lenism as he speaks brilliantly and one of modern Greece's most takenly thought he was all along. a writer or author. He said he did vorite taverna in Athens. His persuasively for what Horton terms translated fiction writers, was In that story, as in others, Sama- not want to be a slave to his or any- friends had urged him to write out “the inner territories of freedom the author of two novels and rakis expresses great faith in the one else’s notion of “art.” He did his tales on paper so the stories and moral dignity.” four short story collections. ability of youth to inspire courage not think it necessary to write every could be more easily shared. He did in others and to renew the national day. He would write only when he so and published them in 1953 un- Dan Georgakas, author of "My timistic and much funnier. In terms culture. had an idea or situation worthy of der the title “White Hope.” As often Detroit," is the director of the of the dead man talking, rather How citizens, particularly edu- exploration. From time to time, he is the case in Greece he paid for the Greek American Studies Project than Kafka, I was reminded of the cated citizens, could tolerate a jun- started with a conclusion and publication himself and personally at Queens College and a New floating body of William Holden ta bewildered Samarakis. He searched for a premise. Whatever took it around to bookstores. When York University professor. who is the voiceover in the film thought no cultured person could classic “Sunset Boulevard.” A ro- accept such “stupidity” and “sup- mantic rendezvous and related as- pression.” What individuals might pirations in other stories also end score on an academic exam and up in unexpected terrain. how many books they might have In some stories, the characters read or even written was meaning- speak directly to the reader in the less if they abided tyranny silently. first person. In others, dialog car- His anger was not a matter of ide- ries the story line forward. Whatev- ology so much as one of spirit. And er the narrative strategy, Samarakis much as Samarakis detested the always uses colloquial language junta, he did not think the colonels that is stripped of literary allusions were alien mutations. He consid- and other formalities. The original ered them fruit of a rotten cultural

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By Steve Frangos think about and write such works of Special to The National Herald real and lasting significance. Matsakis has set herself the task “Growing up Greek in St. Louis” of writing of her experiences grow- by Aphrodite Matsakis is yet another ing up Greek. The book therefore is of the collective biographies stream- not a historical account of all things ing out of Greek America on nearly a Greek in St. Louis. Still by taking this daily basis. It is a finely written and very self-consciously personal ap- well-conceived account that deserves proach the author has in fact provid- the widest audience possible. Where ed us a much fuller sense of daily life “Growing Up Greek” differs from the from the late 1940s until the present other, now almost 100 accounts writ- than the average historical account. ten since 1980, is in its unwavering “Growing up Greek in St. Louis,” clarity. Aphrodite Matsakis’ narrative like other volumes by Arcadia Pub- demonstrates that no outside expert lishing’s Voice of America series, is is really ever really necessary. Any 128 pages long, with 10 chapters thoughtful individual, from any and some 112 historical black and “Growing Up Greek group, can speak of their experience white photographs. The photographs without the benefit of an outsider in- In 1915 Tsichlis and Rallis Grocery Store located at 6th and Elm, the are vital to this account’s narrative. in St. Louis” terpreter. current location of Busch Stadium, was part of St. Louis’s early Greek We not only see the individuals men- By Aphrodite Matsakis In contemporary American and town. When Peter Tsichlis came to St. Louis in 1904, he worked as a tioned but we also “see” physiologi- Greek societies the expert is king. gandy dancer (one who laid railroad tracts) until he saved enough cal and social similarities to other Arcadia Publishing, 128 pages, This says more about the heavy so- money to open the store with Andrew Rallis in 1907. They sold Greek Greek American communities $19.99 paperback cial conditioning in both these soci- imports, meat and other items. A butchery was located in the back. In around the country. Very often this eties than it does anything inherently 1915 Rallis and his family returned to Greece to live. carefully selection of photographs fundamentally special about a spe- (and their captions) not only illus- cialist. Topping, Efthalia Makris Walsh and lustrate prevalent social actions are trate the narrative but frequently ex- I am so impressed by “Growing others. Direct simply prose can de- all commonplace narrative devices. tends the story over time. up Greek in St. Louis” because it is in scribe and explain any social situa- These ethnographies are always The sequence of chapters reports the tradition of work by Helen Zeese tion. Matsakis is forthright about this based on the written notes of the on this commonality. Chapter One, Papanikolas and Eva Catafygiotu account being based solely on her ethnographers. So it is from this “From Karpathos to St. Louis,” out- subjective experience: compilation of diary entries of obser- lines the passage to America by the “When I first shared this manu- vations and conversations collected author’s immigrant ancestors. In script with relatives, some of them in the past (themselves based on the Chapter Two, “Shake, Rattle, and commented, “That never happened!” memories or explanations of others) Roll,” among the author’s very first or “It happened, but not like you on which the ethnographic “present” memories is the Greek propensity for say!” Not only do they disagree with is quite consciously composed. social gatherings, which invariably me, but with each other. Alas, truth Since we have no contemporary include song and dance. Chapter is elusive. Even people growing up in university based sociologist, anthro- Three, “The Double House: the subscribethe same family can have vastly dif- pologist, folklorist or even historian Greek Side and the American Side,” PRINTED EDITION OF THE NATIONAL HERALD via the post-office: ferent experiences. researching and writing about Greek speaks of how the actual layout of ❏1 Month for $9.95 ❏3 Months for $19.95 “Undoubtedly some of my memo- American society and culture we are the author’s home compartmental- ❏6 Months for $29.95 ❏One Year fo $59.85 ries have been tainted by time and indeed fortunate that talented indi- ized her two identities. In Chapter VIA HOME DELIVERY (NY, NJ & CT): subsequent events and photos. With viduals such as Aphrodite Matsakis Four, “The Greek School Blues,” the ❏1 Month for $12.95 ❏3 Months for $29.95 the exception of my relatives, I have have taken the trouble to research, mixed response every child feels for ❏6 Months for $43.99 ❏One Year for $80.00 changed names and other identify- VIA HOME DELIVERY (NEW ENGLAND, PENNSYLVANIA & ing details about persons, sometimes WASHINGTON D.C.) combining individuals into a com- ❏1 Month for $15.95 ❏3 Months for $37.45 posite, for purposes of confidentiali- ❏6 Months for $51.75 ❏One Year for $99.00 ty. Except for my family, any resem- ON LINE SUBSCRIPTION www.thenationalherald.com blance to individuals, dead or alive, NON SUBSCRIBERS: ❏One Year for $29.95 is purely coincidental. ❏One Month for $3.95 “Yet there are no fabricated sto- SUBSCRIBERS: ❏One Year for $19.95 ❏One Month for $1.95 ries here. Although certain non-es- sential specifics may have been dif- ferent, the emotional essence has re- NAME: ...... mained true. To the best of my ADDRESS: ...... knowledge, I’m recording what I CITY:...... STATE: ...... ZIP:...... saw, heard, and experienced inside. TEL.: ...... E-MAIL:...... CELL...... “I write as a Greek American who PLEASE SEND A GIFT SUBSCRIPTION TO: now, more than ever, values her her- NAME: ...... itage and hopes to see it sustain the ADDRESS: ...... younger generations as much as it CITY:...... STATE: ...... ZIP:...... did me. But I also write as a woman. After the author’s Yiayia Aphrodite died in 1954, the women in her TEL.: ...... E-MAIL:...... CELL...... If one of my brothers had written this immediate and extended family wore black for many years. Nobody Please specify method of payment book, it would probably be different forced them to: they did so willingly to express their sorrow. Pictured I enclose a check/money order for $ ...... made payable to: in both perspective and tone (11).” in black from left to right (front row) are Sophia Gorman; (standing), The National Herald, Inc., 37-10 30th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101 - 2614 For those of you who have not Theodora Anagnos, Maria Caputo and Theodora Matsakis. The be- or please debit my ❏ Mastercard ❏ Visa ❏ American Express read any contemporary ethnography reaved husband, Elias Papageorge, seated in the front row, is wear- CARD NUMBER: ...... on modern Greece this description of ing the traditional black mourning tie. For years after his wife?s EXPIRATION DATE: ...... SIGNATURE:...... who is named or not named, the sub- death, he sat before her picture and sang love songs to her on his jective collection of data, and the cre- mandolin. Seated to his right are his three grandchildren. Being chil- ation of composite characters to il- dren, they were exempt from wearing mourning clothes. THE NATIONAL HERALD MAY 26, 2007 23

cal/collective historical volumes Greek Americans have produced since 1980. In the original Greek, “historia” simultaneously means ‘his- tory’ and ‘story.’ Uninfluenced by any professional class these Greek Ameri- can writers have been expressing their collective sense of self without having to get approval from anyone. The “proof” that Greek Americans have a common cultural and histori- cal experience can be seen not sim- ply by virtue of the similarity of themes and conclusions seen in these books. The very ‘voice’ that we hear is a collective, familial and squarely based on a Greek community basis. vincecowan.com Throughout this volume Matsakis Aphrodite Matsakis, Ph.D. cuts to the core issue: “The extended family, including those still in attending afternoon school is exam- Greece, not the nuclear family, was ined at length. Chapter Five de- the rule of the day (21).” The St. scribes “An Old Fashion Greek Louis community Matsakis so clearly Christmas; Chapter Six, “ ‘Give Me describes was her “village” of every- Liberty or Give Me Death’ recalls all day experience as it is for all Greek those Greek school programs Mat- Americans no matter where they sakis and her cohorts were made to live. participate in. In Chapter Seven, Matsakis unfortunately begins the “The Grandmothers in Black,” the volume’s first sentence with a minor author first describes the immigrant point of Greek American history that generation of women and then notes is inaccurate: “Although some the transformations in successive Greeks claim that Christopher generations. Chapter Eight, “Good Columbus was Greek, the first bona Bye Sweet Dreams,” is an especially fide Greeks came to the U.S. in the thoughtful account of the author’s early 1800s (Moskos 1990).” grandmother’s life of sacrifice. Chap- In 1768, the New Smyrna Colony ter 9, “To Fast Not To Fast,” examines of some 1,200 colonists, with more the complexities of “how Greek or than half this contingent being eth- how American to be?” Finally, Chap- nic Greeks, was established in east- ter 10, “How I Got to Go to College,” ern Florida. The Saint Photios Na- explores not only the author’s efforts tional Greek Orthodox Shrine in St. to receive an education but how pre- Augustine, Florida honors the mem- vious generations of women in her ory of this migration to the New family were denied or successfully World. fought for education. Aphrodite Matsakis writes with- I can without reservation recom- out fail or pause when it comes to St. mend this book to anyone who Louis or Karpathos. It is only with wants to read a concise, thoughtful those less than a handful of refer- narrative of Greek American life. ences to Greeks outside that world- These are the kinds of book one view where she has momentarily would hope would be used in the misstepped. This is absolutely the classroom or recommended by only flaw I discovered in this other- friends. wise exceptional account. In that regard there does seem to Aphrodite Matsakis and I are be a fundamental problem. From from the same generation. The conversations I have had with vari- Greek American society she de- ous authors and company represen- scribes is the mirror image of the one tatives Arcadia Publishing Company I grew up in. It will be by reading is having difficulty selling their Greek books such as “Growing up Greek in American volumes outside their geo- St. Louis” that future researchers, be graphic areas of focus. I was especial- they born in Greece or otherwise, ly surprised when Arcadia editors as will come to a better and clearer un- well as individual Greek Americans derstanding of the origins and social authors asked me during our conver- world that now constitutes Greek sations if I knew of any way to im- America. prove their sells. As I told these indi- viduals, I see this dilemma as an ex- Steve Frangos, a regular contribu- pression of the Greek tendency even tor of The National Herald, is a here in North America to only care freelance writer who travels about those Greek individuals they throughout the country investigat- know personally. This ‘city state’ ing and gathering historical infor- mentality has deep roots in our com- mation about the Greek American munity's self-view and so social community. Readers interested in structure. contacting him are encouraged to We can see this orientation in the e-mail him at contents of the nearly 100-biographi- [email protected]. ✽

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