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This trilogy (The Club, Ariagni, The Bat) is the saga of three cities - Jerusalem, Cairo and Alexandria - drifting towards chaos in a war-torn Middle East. At its centre is Manos: man of intellect and integrity, lover of life, hero of the Greek war against the Italian Invasion, who deserted the national army to join the leftists in the clandestine struggle against the Greek fascists and royalists. Underground operations lead him from city to city, involving him in a chain of shifting and perilous relationships and Manos is forced to choose between his humanist impulses and the brutal dictates of ideological orthodoxy.

Combining an exotic brilliance of detail reminiscent of Durrell's Alexandria novels with the sweep and historical passion of Malraux, Stratis Tsirkas has, with Drifting Cities, established himself as a novelist of international importance.

Kedros "Modern Greek Writers Series"

710 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

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About the author

Stratis Tsirkas

17 books35 followers
(Greek: Στρατής Τσίρκας)

Yiannis Hatziandreas, who became known by the pen name of Stratis Tsirkas, was born in Egypt in 1911.
After graduating from the commercial section of the Ambeteio School he went to work in a cotton mill as an accountant and later as the manager of a factory in Upper Egypt. He read voraciously from an early age and published translations of poetry and short texts of his own in journals in Egypt and Greece.
From 1938 to 1963, when he settled in Greece, he managed a tannery in Alexandria, where he became involved in literary and communist circles.
In 1937 he published Fellahin, poems inspired by his time in Upper Egypt, in 1938 The Lyrical Voyage and in 1944 his first short story collection, Strange People.
The Penultimate Farewell and Spanish Oratorio in 1946 mark his farewell to poetry.
Tsirkas was actively involved in the Communist Party’s Anti-Fascist Initiative and he edited their journal, Ellin.
The 1944 mutiny of the Greek fleet and army and its brutal suppression inspired his writing, from April is the Cruellest Month (1947) to the final volume of the Drifting Cities trilogy.
After the war he published short stories, literary criticism and studies. During the Suez Crisis he wrote Nureddin Bomba. In 1958 he published Cavafy and his Era which won the State Award for biography, and followed up with a work on Seferis.
In 1961 he published The Club, the first volume in the Drifting Cities trilogy, prompting his expulsion from the Communist Party. The second volume came out in 1962, the third in 1965.
He continued to write articles and literary criticism.
He actively opposed the dictatorship and when the Greek Communist Party split, he joined the newly formed Greek Communist Party of the Interior.
During the junta he did translations and when preventive censorship was lifted he played a leading part in producing the anti-junta 18 Texts and New Texts, and contributed to the anti-dictatorship journal Synechia.
In 1972, the French edition of Drifting Cities won a prize for the best foreign book.
Lost Spring, published in 1976, was a novel with an Athenian setting and intended to be first of a trilogy which Tsirkas never completed. He died in 1980.

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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Steve.
441 reviews582 followers
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October 11, 2015


The novelist, essayist and poet Yannis Hadziandréas (1911-1980), who used the pseudonym Stratis Tsirkas

Each person has his own little life theory to comfort and reassure him. Richard's humanism, the old bitch's snobbery, Hans' legitimism, Pamela's Christian Science, Theophilos' masochism, Rosa's anarchism, Nina's amoralism... The comedy and the drama.


A finely grained examination of multiple characters and an extensive portrait of the eastern Mediterranean during World War II and the Greek leftists' struggle against the German, Italian and Greek fascists as well as the British and American imperialists who decided that the leftists were a threat to their postwar plans, Drifting Cities is a trilogy consisting of The Club (1960) - set in Jerusalem - Ariagne (1962) - mostly Cairo - and The Bat (1965) - mostly Alexandria. And when I say multiple, I mean dozens.

The Club opens in June 1942 in a Jerusalem into which all the flotsam and jetsam of Europe and the Middle East is washed up by the war to scrabble and somehow survive. The German wave is still cresting and getting closer and closer - Greece is in their hands and they are throwing the reeling armies of the British Empire back into Egypt; the Soviet armies are still falling back with huge losses and the Americans are yet ratcheting up their war effort and may be too late.

But these and later events of global significance are not the immediate focus of this trilogy; instead, it is the impact of these events on individuals drawn from a wide spectrum of nationalities, races and religions and thrown together in an apparently very small world, and this impact is to cause them to bring out of their own depths whatever it is that they can hold onto, to believe in, to act upon, in order to get through this emergency more or less intact.

Initially, in the rundown pensione ruled by Frau Anna, the lonely woman of a certain age (the "old bitch" in the quote above) regretting the loss of her former life amongst the haute bourgeoisie of Cologne, one suspects a kind of Grand Hotel - an excuse to assemble and voyeuristically display a cross section of people melodramatically interacting with each other - but the quality of the prose and the empathy of the author for his characters reassure. Then the text deepens to a kind of Ship of Fools as we watch how easily and profoundly the characters misunderstand and try to use each other. As ubiquitous as this may be in ordinary life, in these special circumstances there is a heightened urgency and desperation, and more wrenching consequences. Halfway through The Club, though, it becomes clear that Hadziandréas is showing us the many different ruses - ok, let's call them beliefs, hopes, dreams - the things that keep people moving when the going is hazardous and the quotidian recedes.

Though many characters appear and reappear through the trilogy, its center is Manolis Simonidis, a young Communist intellectual and lieutenant in the small Greek army fighting alongside the Allies in the eastern Mediterranean, in whom the author has placed much of his own life and thought, including his early years in Alexandria and Cairo, his education in Athens, and his non-conformist views of the party line(s). In each of the books one woman is singled out of the pressing crowd of characters for particular attention - Emmy, the wife of a former Austrian minister whose transition from an empathetically presented nymphomaniac to dedicated mother (most definitely not done in a noxiously moralistic manner) provides an unexpected element in The Club; Ariagne, the Greek Cairoite Earth Mother; Nancy, the British aristocrat who becomes Manos' lover and collaborator in The Bat.

Complementing the overloaded richness of characters, Drifting Cities is also elaborately endowed with themes and sub-themes. Alongside those already mentioned, a central theme is the question to which degree one must conform to a "party line" in order to be able to work with others and make a difference. In The Club Manos struggles mightily with this, because he is critical of the party line but does not want to be reduced to the futility of individual action. When it was published the Communists in Greece raised a hue and cry about the book's "decadence", "defeatism" and "subjectivism." Manolis' struggle was clearly a reflection of Hadziandréas' own; in the following volumes Manolis toed the line with little further questioning. This critical reaction from the Left may also be the reason why the prose style changed noticeably in the last two volumes - the passages of stream of consciousness, letters, dreams and fantasies that break up the standard third person narration (except when the author settles into Manos' point of view, where he shifts into first person) in The Club become rare.

As is hardly surprising in a nearly three thousand year old literary tradition torn between the conflicting elements of Hellenism and Greek Orthodoxy, echoes of the myths of both (viz. Ariagne/Ariadne, who aids Manos with a metaphorical magic thread as he is pursued by the metaphorical Minotaur(s)) and also of striking moments of Greek history (viz. the Anabasis of the Greek soldiers at the end of Ariagne) resound through the texts.

Drifting Cities, now regarded in Greece as one of their most important post WWII fictions, has its drawbacks - Manos' character is impeccable with a few minor exceptions that seem to be admitted in order to show how he agonizes over them, and he draws women of all kinds to him like bees to a burst, ripe fig; though I have a weakness for evocative description, the descriptive conventions of obsessive realism become wearing to me; despite the presence of some explanatory notes, it does not hurt to have some idea of the history of modern Greece and World War II - but its scope, richness and finely drawn empathy for a wide range of humanity well reward the reader's engagement.
Profile Image for Max Nemtsov.
Author 187 books576 followers
July 9, 2023
Гениальный позднемодернистский роман в жанре трилогии (из категории "средниземноморских", которые, правда, иногда тетралогии, сиречь квартеты). Это расширенный Пинчон-мир со свисточками и колокольчиками, мир "V.", "Радуги" и "романа в работе", мир беженцев и перемещенных лиц, где одни заговоры громоздятся на другие, а международные многократные и многосторонние шпионы ходят друг за дружкой и друг на дружку доносят. Перекресток человечества, в общем, - а оказавшись на нем, читать роман изнутри обстановки еще интереснее.

Одно из зияющих загадочных мест романа - перевод названия. Великая греческая переводчица Кей Сиселлис обозначила его как "Дрейфующие города", хотя города эти скорее отдрейфовывают к  "Неуправляемым государствам". Идеально сюда, конечно, лег бы оборот "Без руля и без ветрил", но его поди впиши в текст и тем паче в название. А городов-государств таких, на самом деле, больше: это не только Иерусалим, Каир и Александрия, некоторые (Афины, Вена) упоминаются в тексте (в раскавыченных цитатах из Элиота в т.ч.), но преимущественно облечены в фигуру умолчания в этом мире Бедекера. Отделтно же прияино, что заканчивается роман в другом узле Средиземноморья без руля и без ветрил - в Салонике.

Неудивительно, почему роман этот на знамени нынешних анархистов, кстати, - он весь о Временных Автономных Зонах, а вовсе не о "дрейфе городов в безвластие", как это некоторые критики себе представляют: в Иерусалиме власть - это "Клуб" (тех, кто против, но не против), в Каире - дети (банда, похожая на мальтийскую, разбирающую Дурного Священника), в Александрии... а вот там, похоже, всем правит память о детстве. Именно они и дергают за ниточки всю закулису. Хотя на самом деле, конечно, здесь излагается подноготная сделок, разделявших зоны влияния в ходе 2й мировой войны между Британией и СССР, очередного раунда Большой игры, перенесенного в Средиземноморье. Как известно, Британия его выиграла: в октябре 1944го Чёрчилл и Сталин поделили зоны влияния, и Греция отошла Британии - тем самым и обозначилось окончательно предательство совокупными русскими совокупных греков. А уж как британцы с ней обошлись - тема отдельная и нарывает она до сих пор.

Однако и сами греки были хороши: в общем, учитывая, каким предстает в романе гадючье гнездо левого подполья с его тогдашними изводами идеалистов, "хороших греков" и не очень хороших греков, "белых польт" и прочей публики, так знакомой нам по нынешним линиям расколов. Недаром автора после первого романа трилогии выгнали из компартии, когда он отказался им в угоду лакировать действительность. В СССР и в нынешней фашистской России с ним известно что сделали бы за отход от линии партии.

Собственно сюжет - приключения агитатора с целой гроздью псевдонимов в подпольных коммунистических ячейках между британцами и фашистами греческими и немецкими, его женщинами и его сомнениями в правоте "нашего дела" - я трогать не стану, об этом вам пусть критики рассказывают. А вот обращение с исторической фактурой здесь - сродни пинчоновскому, истерически-реалистическое: я не говорю о деяниях Второй греческой бригады (как и Первой) в Африке и Азии в 1942-43 годах, там много запутанного, а я не спец пока, но вот, например, веточка сюжета о том, что Аполлони Сабатье могла умереть в Каире, - это просто драгоценно.

И вообще друзья, посоветовавшие мне его читать, были правы (хотя рука в одноименном здешнем магазине у меня сама к нему потянулась): роман этот действительно неувядаем и нисколько за прошедшие полвека не потускнел. (Апропо о переводе: я нашел только одну смысловую ошибку в нем: переводчица явно не очень хорошо себе предствляла, что такое "демократический централизм" и назвала его "democratic centralization", что естественно - половина персонажей романа разговаривает на советском воляпюке, "товарищ лейтенант", а на этом языке в нормальном мире не разговаривают).
Profile Image for Denis.
Author 5 books31 followers
December 1, 2008
A massive, complex and epic novel about the fate of diverse characters living in the Middle East during WWII - it takes place in cities like Cairo and Jerusalem. I read it a long time ago in French and was transported by Tsirkas' genius, inspiration, and vision of history. His recreation of the events that shaped that part of the world was fascinating, and I remember feeling the atmosphere of those cities as if I was there: it could have been merely exotic, but it was much, much more deeper and realistic than that. It's a huge book, but I dived in it with excitement and its impact has remained with me.
Profile Image for Vayos Liapis.
1 review
October 8, 2013
Without a doubt the best work of narrative prose to emerge from Greece in the post-WWII era. The "Cities Adrift" are Jerusalem, Cairo, and Alexandria, where much of the drama of the Greek involvement in WWII is played out. Deftly interweaving his characters' personal stories with events that defined recent European history (including the Greek Civil War of 1944-1949), Tsirkas provides a stunning panorama of places, peoples, and events that contributed to the making of post-war Europe.

Perhaps the most interesting and accomplished part of the trilogy is Part I ("The Club"), especially though by no means exclusively on account of its narrative technique. It alternates between traditional third-person narrative, a first-person eyewitness account (by Manos, the protagonist of the trilogy), and a fragmented interior monologue by the half-demented guesthouse owner Frau Anna. The interior monologue is pitch-perfect, and imho much more engrossing than the classic example (Molly in Joyce's Ulysses). A must-read.
Profile Image for H..
33 reviews
February 24, 2014
What's it with Alexandria? How come this city is able to conjure up some of the most incredibles masterpieces of the litterature? If you think Durrell's Alexandria Quartet is difficult, read this book and think again.

Granted, they don't play exactly on the same field and Alexandria is only ONE of the drifting cities mentioned in the title, but the intricacy of the plot and of the psychology of a list of characters long as a Dostoievsky novel is breath taking.

Be sure to find an edition with as much historical notes and post-scriptums as possible, because there are few people outside (and inside?) Greece to which the events described are common knowledge(the political intrigues revolving around the Greek armis in Middle-East during the WWII) and don't forget your pencil in order to chalk your way up this huge temple, which can easily appear impenetrable, but in the end is truly rewarding and moving.
Profile Image for Attila.
427 reviews15 followers
March 9, 2014
A trilogy following the life of Manos, a Greek individual during World War II. It was a turbulent time, when the Greek resistance fought against both German occupation and internal reactionary forces. Manos is torn between loyalty to the left-wing cause, and attraction to right-wing values, and fights for his homeland and noble ideals, but in the end the leadership puts power over justice and country, and Manos falls, with his sacrifice meaningless. The questions raised in the trilogy, about self versus society, about the role of art and knowledge, about the need to take action, are still valid today.
Profile Image for Mohammed Galal.
71 reviews16 followers
June 25, 2013
I ve actually read the 1st novel of this trilogy only.I think Tsirkas is more Egyptian-like than Durrell.He was born and brought up in Cairo.Alexandria was a special city where he usually spent his summers with his grandfather. His works offer a more panoramic view of the Orient.In addition,his characters are more self-aware than those of Durrell.Both writers have tried to demystify the Orient through their writings.Nonetheless,there is a similar point in both texts:Emmy s attitude towards her husband and love is akin to that of Justine in the 1st novel of "The alexandria Quartet"by Durrell.Both women cheat on their husbands for one reason or another.Unlike Durrell,Tsirkas could strike a balance as far as characterization is concerned.The "supposedly less civilized"Arabs and The Europeans equally share typical human weaknesses.War reveals the best and the worst part of both of them.Each of both texts is unique in a different way...
Profile Image for Alyssa.
3 reviews
March 2, 2012
This is one of the best books I have read. Set in Jerusalem, Cairo, and Alexandria during World War II. A gorgeous story to get immersed in: love, politics, sex, and intrigue. Better than Durrell's Alexandria Quartet.
Profile Image for Allison.
48 reviews2 followers
May 2, 2022
3.5 A bit uneven. Hard to follow some of the finer points of the political intrigue with my limited knowledge of 20th century Greek history. But at its best it was quite evocative
Profile Image for Enoriel.
80 reviews
September 3, 2025
I asked a Greek little bee to recommend an author from their country, preferably with a historical dimension.

With Drifting Cities, I must say the request was perfectly fulfilled. It’s a hefty tome that actually combines a trilogy, with each volume set in a different city (Jerusalem, Cairo, Alexandria) during the years 1942–1944. A context of relative cheerfulness—well, not really, but why not.

Oh yes, don’t bother looking for humor here—not a single picogram of it in the trilogy, nada, zilch, forget it. It’s war, it’s resistance (though I’m not entirely sure I understood how it operates; I gave up halfway through volume 2). Oh, and the author doesn’t introduce us to the myriad of characters filling these pages (you’re left to manage with the writing style and the index at the end of the book).

We follow the wanderings of some characters throughout the trilogy, while new ones keep being added along the way, so it gets a bit confusing (understatement—especially when the main character decides to nickname certain people, though I’m not sure how the nicknames relate to their personalities, but anyway).

So, in summary, if you’re passionate about World War II or the Greek Civil War, allergic to joy, love short and factual sentences, and enjoy character dictionaries, go for it!
Profile Image for MountainAshleah.
938 reviews49 followers
August 15, 2022
I've seen this book called the "Greek War and Peace," and I think that's a fair comparison, at least for those not familiar with much of European literature (I'm including myself). The novel is epic, the details voluminous and rich...and so are the politics. If I had a better grasp of WWII history, i would have appreciated the novel even more. But I don't, so I found myself reading for the wonderful details, especially as I've visited briefly two of the three "drifting" cities.

For me, the scope of the novel was a bit too epic, there were too many characters, and I would benefit from reading the novel a second time as my memory has never been good with a long list of characters, including War and Peace. And then there's an epilogue that's too expository and cramped, and feels way too hasty. STILL, It's a shame this novel isn't more widely known and read amongst US readers. But at 700 pages steeped in another country's philosophy and politics, it likely wouldn’t be.
Profile Image for Jaime Almansa.
Author 6 books3 followers
February 24, 2023
Una historia súper interesante de intrigas y amores que mezcla lo real y la ficción en la creación del nuevo estado griego durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial.
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