Antonis Samarakis

Antonis Samarakis (Greek: Αντώνης Σαμαράκης; August 16, 1919 – August 8, 2003) was a Greek writer of the post-war generation whose work explores themes of humanism, dangers of totalitarianism and aspects of social alienation. He is considered one of the most prolific Greek writers, and the second most translated one, after Nikos Kazantzakis. Antonis Samarakis was born in Athens in 1919. After graduating from the Varvakeio High School, he studied law at the University of Athens. During the Nazi occupation he participated in the greek resistance by joining the National Solidarity, a precursor of the main leftwing resistance organisation, the National Liberation Front. In 1944 he was arrested by the Nazis and sentenced to death, but managed to escape. In 1963 he married Eleni Kourebana. Samarakis worked as an expert of the International Labour Organization of the United Nations in many countries on social issues and in 1989 he was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for the children of the world. His first substantial appearance in the literary field took place in 1954 with the publication of the collection of short stories "Hope Wanted". He is one of the most translated Greek prose writers, as his works have been translated into more than 30 languages. In 1965 he published "The Flaw", his best known work. A rare example of greek police literature, part thriller and part political satire, it won Samarakis world-wide praise and brought him in contact with some of the great writers…