In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

  • Kedros Modern Greek Writers Series
  • Vangelis Calotychos and Kedros (Firm)

In 1991, the Kedros publishing house put out a set of Greek novels in English translation. By 1996, Kedros had published three such sets of reasonably priced1 paperback editions, and so raised the number of titles in the series to twenty-seven. All the works are by Greek writers, the majority contemporary, and all were published originally in Greek by Kedros. We have, then, the "Kedros Modern Greek Writers Series" (emphasis mine), comprising the following titles: Petros Abatzoglou's What does Mrs. Freeman Want (translated by Kay Cicellis), Aris Alexandrou's Mission Box (translated by Robert Crist), Sotiris Dimitriou's Woof, Woof, Dear Lord (translated by Leo Marshall), Maro Douka's Fool's Gold (translated by Roderick Beaton), Eugenia Fakinou's Astradeni (translated by H. E. Criton), Andreas Franghias's The Courtyard (translated by Martin McKinsey), Costis Gimosoulis's Her Night on Red (translated by Philip Ramp), Marios [End Page 170] Hakkas's Kaisariani and the Elegant Toilet (translated by Amy Mims), Giorgos Heimonas's The Builders (translated by Robert Crist), Yorgos Ioannou's Good Friday Vigil (translated by Peter Mackridge and Jackie Willcox), Iakovos Kambanellis's Mauthausen (translated by Gail Holst-Warhaft), Alexandros Kotzias's Jaguar (translated by H. E. Criton), Menis Koumandareas's Koula (translated by Kay Cicellis), Margarita Liberaki's Three Summers (translated by Karen Van Dyck), Giorgos Maniotis's Two Thrillers (translated by Nicholas Kostis), Christoforos Milionis's Kalamás and Achéron (translated by Marjorie Chambers), Costoula Mitropoulou's The Old Curiosity Shop on Tsimiski Street (translated by Elly Petrides), Kostas Mourselas's Red Dyed Hair (translated by Fred A. Reed), Aristotelis Nikolaidis's Vanishing Point (translated by John Leatham), Alexis Panselinos's Betsy Lost (translated by Caroline Harbouri), Spyros Plaskovitis's The Façade Lady of Corfu (translated by Amy Mims), Vangelis Raptopoulos's The Cicadas (translated by Fred A. Reed), Yannis Ritsos's Iconostasis of Anonymous Saints (translated by Amy Mims), Aris Sfakianakis's The Emptiness Beyond (translated by Caroline Harbouri), Dido Sotiriou's Farewell Anatolia (translated by Fred A. Reed), Stratis Tsirkas's Drifting Cities (translated by Kay Cicellis), and Alki Zei's Achilles' Fiancée (translated by Gail Holst-Warhaft).

Not an unimpressive array of Greek authors by any means! In the best of all possible worlds, another major Greek publisher might have taken this lead to prepare a rival series for its own select titles. As it turns out, no other publisher has emulated Kedros, although outlets for English translations do exist and soldier on valiantly.2 In addition, the Greek Ministry of Culture has, of late, systematized its program of financial support for translations of Greek works abroad.3 (Indeed, the Kedros Series itself has been one of the program's beneficiaries.)

Unfortunately, the prospects for the series' continuation are pretty grim. Currently, with only two more novels in the pipeline, the Kedros series finds itself in a state of suspension.4 (Or is it a slow death?) Predictably, the reasons for this fate are financial. Sales thus far outside Greece have been dismal: a fate shared by French translations of Greek works produced by Actes Sud in collaboration with the Center for Literary Translation at the French Institute in Athens.5 True enough, Kedros can derive some consolation from a rosier showing within Greece among resident foreigners and tourists, despite the fact that distribution would seem to have been pursued there without much forethought. The books are nowhere to be found in tourist resort bookstores where the same tattered Kazantzakis novels hog the small section next to the Danielle Steeles and Tom Clancys. On the island of Naxos, only in the last couple of years have I seen some of the books displayed, on a separate rack, at a small annual book fair held on the promenade every August.

It may be harsh to be too critical of the Kedros editions as products, given the cost of distribution and export to markets like that of the United States, where book prices are, to begin with, lower than in Europe. How could Kedros make even a modest profit? Regardless, certain deficiencies in production and conception need to be...

pdf

Share