North of Ithaka - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0593051890 ISBN 13: 9780593051894

Publisher: Bantam Press

Synopsis

Eleni Gage, a young journalist living in New York, leaves her Manhattan flat to return to her family's native Greece and rebuild her grandmother's house in the remote but beautiful northern village of Lia. What motivates her and makes her story particularly remarkable is the fact that her grandmother, also called Eleni, was imprisoned in the house during the Greek Civil War before eventually being executed. Part personal quest into her family's history, part exploration of the nature of history itself, this is a moving yet amusing story set in Epiros, one of the least visited regions of Europe. The cast of characters include Eleni's formidable yet miniscule aunts, the thitsas, who fear that she will be eaten by wolves, her Albanian builders and the residents of modern-day Lia who help in the complex process of reconstructing the house where such terrible events took place. As this is the real Greece, populated by real people rather than rustic stereotypes, Eleni's plans do not always work out as intended though ultimately she finds the resolution she desires. NORTH OF ITHAKA will appeal to those who were entranced by CAPTAIN CORELLI'S MANDOLIN and have ever wondered about the real

About this title

From the Back Cover

In North of Ithaka, Eleni Gage returns to the remote Greek village of Lia, where her father was born and her grandmother murdered, to rebuild the ruins of her namesake's home and come to terms with her family's tragic history. In doing so, she leaves behind a sparkling social life and successful career to continue the tale of a family and a place which her father, Nicholas Gage, made famous over twenty years ago with his international bestseller, Eleni. Along the way she survives humorous misadventures, absorbs fascinating folklore, and comes to understand that memories of the dead can bring new life to the present. Part travel memoir and part family saga, North of Ithaka is, above all, a journey home.  "A tale of homecoming and reconciliation, ‘North of Ithaka’ proves the regenerative powers of home."--The New York Sun "Gage's vivid personal account captures the seasonal rhythms and everyday dramas of Greek life beyond the familiar resort islands, revealing a place that is, in the most traditional sense, old-world."
--Travel & Leisure
"Imbued with forgiveness, with the rebuilding of lives and houses, and moving on from tragedy...In coming full circle [Gage] has helped soothe the pain of a traumatized family."
-The Times Literary Supplement
"Ms. Gage's house project is partly an effort to move beyond the pain of memory. . . honest. . . amusing. . .she treats tradition with respect and history with realism."
--Wall Street Journal

About the Author

Eleni Gage is the daughter of Nicholas Gage, whose international bestseller ELENI told the story of his mother's imprisonment and eventual execution during the Greek civil war. This is her first book.

Edition details

• Publisher: Bantam Press
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593051890
• ISBN 13: 9780593051894
• Binding: Hardcover