1988 Essays

Athina, My Grandmother

Taktsis, Costas; Van Dyck, Karen

One of Greece's best contemporary writers, Costas Taktsis, has written a collection of short stones entitled Athina, My Grandmother. The title suggests how a huge industrial city like Athina has managed not to alienate its inhabitants: Athina is both the name of Taktsis' grandmother and the name of the city he loves. No matter how polluted and noisy Athina may get--she is bloodkin; all her contradictions and bad habits are tolerated, and even appreciated. Taktsis' story of being brought up by Athina in an Athina that is growing up around him plays on the contradictory feelings of pride and melancholy which most Athenians have for their city. The last few pages, in particular, give an insider's view of this quickly expanding capital.