Douka wins Balkanika; new fiction
The 2006 Balkanika literature prize has gone to a Greek novel, «Athoi kai Ftaichtes» (Innocent and Guilty) by Maro Douka, published by Kedros. The book has already been published in a Serbian edition, translated by Gaga Rosic. The Balkanika prize was founded by seven publishers (from Albania, Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Romania and Turkey) with the aim of bringing book people from Balkan countries together. Every year, the winning book is translated into the languages of all the participating countries. This is the second time that Douka has been a candidate. The first was in 1997, with «Ena Skoufos apo Porphyra « (A Cap of Purple), which took second place. And she is the second Greek author to win the award, after Nikos Bakolas in 1999 with his book «Bessa yia Bessa» (Word of Honor). New novels Patakis publishers and Ianos bookstore launch Soti Triantafyllou’s latest novel «Kinezika Koutia» (Chinese Boxes) today at Ianos at 8 p.m. Novelist Petros Markaris and journalist Takis Terzis will present the book. (Ianos, 24 Stadiou; Patakis tel 210.365.0028.) Patakis is launching Maira Papathanassopoulou’s latest book «Makarioi oi Penthountes» (Blessed are Those Who Mourn) at their bookstore on Saturday at 2 p.m. The speakers are writer Yiannis Xanthoulis and journalist Nikos Evangelatos. (Patakis, 65 Academias, tel 210.365.0028.) Koumandareas Kedros Publishers presents «I Gynaika pou Petaei» (The Woman Who Flies), a new collection of short stories by Menis Koumandareas, at the Athens University History Museum at 7.30 p.m. on Monday, November 6. Writer Vangelis Raptopoulos will converse with the author and actor Manos Stalakis will read excerpts. (Athens University History Museum, 5 Tholou, Plaka. Kedros tel 210.380.9712.)
