The Words of Others

This book aims to provide as comprehensive a picture as possible of Greeks in the U.S., primarily through “snapshots” that capture the daily lives of the Greek diaspora. However, alongside the details of the Greek-American community, I also chronicle the current events of my generation, as Nionios might have done. And over these 35 years, Savvopoulos, Theodorakis, Mouschouri, Stephanopoulos, Kyrkos, and others have passed before my eyes. Some became friends. Some left me with a fond memory that inspired me to write about them. But important scientists, politicians, and ordinary people—figures in the news—have also come and gone. As well as some curious moments. Cavafy on the witness stand, the late Archbishop Iakovos shedding a tear for his mother, the three-hour interview with Leonidas Kyrkos that the tape recorder failed to capture… Curiosities like these… Above all, I hope that through this book, the Greek world will be able to better hear the heartbeat of the Greek diaspora.