Z

by Vassilis Vassilikos

A progressive parliamentary deputy is scheduled to appear at a political rally. Meanwhile, local political bosses plot his assassination. Thugs are recruited to disrupt the rally. Rumors begin to spread. But the forces already set in motion are irresistible. Z is the story of a crime, a time, a place, and people transformed by events.

Z was published in Greece in 1966, and banned there one year later. It is based on an actual political assassination in 1963 in Salonika. The victim was Gregory Lambrakis, a socialist legislator and outspoken critic of the government. But Lambrakis's killers could not have anticipated the public response. His funeral became a political event; by the time the cortege reached Athens, 400,000 people were following the coffin in silence. In the nation's capital, the letter Z suddenly appeared on walls, sidewalks, posters--everywhere. Z stands for the Greek verb zei, "he lives."

Genres: Fiction, Greece, Historical Fiction, Classics, Politics, Literature, Crime

406 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1966

About the author

Vassilis Vassilikos (Greek: Βασίλης Βασιλικός) was a prolific Greek writer and diplomat. A native of the northern Greek island of Thassos, Vassilikos grew up in Salonika, graduating from law school there before moving to Athens to work as a journalist. Due to his political activities, he was forced into exile following the 1967 military coup, where he spent the next seven years.

Between 1981 and 1984 Vassilikos served as general manager of the Greek state television channel ET1. Since 1996, he has served as Greece's ambassador to UNESCO.

As an author, Vassilikos has been highly prolific and widely-translated. He has published more than 100 books, including novels, plays and poetry. His best known work is the political novel Z (1967) (English language ISBN 0-394-72990-0 or ISBN 0-941423-50-6), which has been translated into thirty-two languages and was the basis of the award-winning film Z directed by Costa-Gavras (with music by Mikis Theodorakis).

In 2008, Vassilikos was among to 41 other personalities of Greece that condemned the action of the withdrawal of Ersi Sotiropoulos's book Zigzag Through the Bitter-Orange Trees from the Greek school libraries, after the appeal of insurance measures by Konstantinos Plevris against to the Ministry of National Education of Greece for this issue. In 2001, Petros Tatoulis had asked the withdrawal of this specific book and he characterized this as pornographic due to the provocative sexual scenes that it contains

Reviews

[Miltos S.]

Δεν μπορώ να μην σκεφτώ ότι και αυτό το βιβλίο, ουσιαστικά είναι μια "αρπαχτή" πάνω σε ένα διάσημο θάνατο. Είναι διαχρονικό το φαινόμενο άλλωστε.
Καλά στην εποχή μας πλέον έχουν ξεφύγει τα πράγματα (βλ. Μικρούτσικο για εμάς που βγήκε μετά ο καθένας και έγραφε τη μπαρούφα του για να ακουστεί το όνομά του και τον χαμό που έγινε με τον Kobe που και καλά κλαίγανε όλοι, βγάζανε σπαραχτικούς λόγους και γράφανε δακρύβρεχτα tweets).

Παρόλα αυτά, το βιβλίο αυτό αξίζει το ντόρο που έχει προκαλέσει. Καλογραμμένο, λυρικό, σκληρό όπου πρέπει, είναι η τοιχογραφία μιας εποχής που σημάδεψε και δίχασε.
Μην διστάσετε να το διαβάσετε αν έχετε την ευκαιρία.

[Alexander Theofanidis]

Μια συμπαγής δόση ιστορικού λυρισμού από τον Βασίλη Βασιλικό, στην εξιστόρηση του χρονικού της δολοφονίας Λαμπράκη από το πανταχού παρόν παρακράτος της μεταπολεμικής περιόδου.
Οι χαρακτήρες ολοζώντανοι, λες και τους χαιρέτησες προ 5 λεπτών δια χειραψίας, η ιστορία ρέει απρόσκοπτα, η αλλαγή από ιδιόλεκτο σε ιδιόλεκτο κάθε φορά τονίζει τις διαφορές, στη μόρφωση, στην κοινωνική θέση, ακόμα και στις προθέσεις∙ απολαυστικές καθαρεύουσες και ελληνικούρες των σολοικισμών συνταιριάζουν με μαλλιαρές δημοτικές.

Ακόμη και τα "εσωτερικά" κομμάτια, οι αναστοχασμοί και οι λυρικότεροι των μελαγχολικών συλλογισμών που αποδίδονται στα πρόσωπα του δράματος (αλλά και αυτά του συγγραφέα) δεν κουράζουν.

Αν προσέθετα κάτι θα ήταν... λίγο περισσότερος Δελαπόρτας.
(Στη δίκη που έγινε το 1966 ο εισαγγελέας Παύλος Δελαπόρτας τόνισε: «Σήμερα, εδώ, ένα σύμφυρμα κλεφτών, βιαστών, δωσιλόγων και κάθε είδους κακοποιών, εμφανίζεται προς εθνοκαπηλία και ανομολογήτως ιδιοτελείς σκοπούς, ως προστάτης κοινωνικών καθεστώτων, ως φύλακας ιερών και οσίων και ως Κέρβερος του νόμου και της τάξης. Τι άλλο έπρεπε να περιμένει κανείς απ αυτό πλην του ότι θα εξελισσόταν σε κακοήθη νεοπλασία της κοινωνίας;»)

Έξι δεκαετίες μετά τη δολοφονία Λαμπράκη (της οποίας οι περιγραφόμενες μεθοδεύσεις θυμίζουν τόσο πολύ την ενορχήστρωση -παρά τα 50 χρόνια διαφορά- της δολοφονίας του Παύλου Φύσσα από το ανώμαλο μόρφωμα της Χρυσής Αυγής, αυτονομημένο δεκανίκι κι αυτή, σκυλί που γύρεψε να δαγκώσει περισσότερο απ' όσο του επέτρεπαν και μόνον τότε σφίχτηκε το λουρί) είναι πέρα από απολαυστικό στην ανάγνωση και χρήσιμο: γιατί γενιές που μεγάλωσαν μέσα σε "αποκαθαρμένη" δημοκρατία (ναι, με τα όποια στραβά της), δεν έχουν εικόνα της δύναμης και της βίας που άσκησαν τα χυδαία κέντρα αποσταθεροποίησης και ιδιοποίησης της εξουσίας που εξέφραζε μερίδα των νικητών του εμφυλίου, κήνσορες της σχεδόν θεσμοθετημένης ανωμαλίας, ταγοί της νομιμότητας με το ψευδές εθνικοφροσυνόμετρο ανά χείρας, συχνά πρώην συνεργάτες των Γερμανών επί κατοχής, δοσίλογοι, ένοχοι εσχάτης προδοσίας σε ρόλο τιμητή των ηττημένων του '49 αλλά και κάθε προοδευτικής ή ουσιαστικά δημοκρατικής φωνής. Λαός χωρίς μνήμη, είναι καταδικασμένος να ξαναζήσει, αν όχι τα ίδια, χειρότερα.

[Nikolas Banos]

Ο πατέρας μου είναι παιδί του μόχθου. Ανέκαθεν ήταν. Οι συνθήκες των δεκαετιών, που έζησε, ο ίδιος, και δημιούργησε, και η φτώχεια που βίωσαν οι παππούδες μου εκείνη την εποχή, τον ανάγκασαν να βγει από μικρός στο «κουρμπέτι». Οι συνθήκες αυτές, λοιπόν, και το άδικο του κόσμου, το οποίο έχει την τάση να πέφτει σε ανθρώπους κοινωνικά και οικονομικά ασθενέστερους, οδήγησαν τον πατέρα μου σε μια αριστερή, πολιτικά, σκέψη. Εγώ, πάλι, ως παιδί, είχα μπούκλες και έπαιζα με τα κατσαρολικά. Ήθελα να γίνω μάγειρας. Όταν, λοιπόν, οι μπούκλες μου άρχισαν να ισιώνουν και το όνειρο για την μαγειρική ξεθώριασε, ο πατέρας μου άρχισε να μου μιλά για πράγματα πιο σοβαρά και να με πηγαίνει βόλτες στο Λαζαρέτο, ένα νησάκι στα χωρικά ύδατα της Κέρκυρας, στο οποίο είχαν αφήσει την τελευταία τους πνοή, ουκ ολίγοι, αριστεροί, πολιτικοί κρατούμενοι και κομμουνιστές. Όταν, δε, με είδε να διαβάζω μου πρότεινε και δύο βιβλία. Τα μοναδικά βιβλία που μου έχει προτείνει, έως και σήμερα. Το «Σκλάβοι στα δεσμά τους» του Κωνσταντίνου Θεοτόκη και το «Ζ» του Βασίλη Βασιλικού. Δεν με απασχολούσε, επ ουδενί, αυτή η θεματολογία στην εφηβεία. Έτσι, έμεινε το βιβλίο στο μυαλό μου, ως τίτλος και μόνο. Το σωτήριο, για μένα, ακαδημαϊκό έτος 2008 – 2009 τριγυρίζω στο Μπιτ Μπαζάρ με την Κορίνα και την Γιώτα. Δίπλα στα επιπλάδικα του Μπιτ Μπαζάρ, ένας βιβλιοπώλης είχε βγάλει, στον ηλιόλουστο αυλόγυρο, την πραμάτεια του. Στην συγκλονιστική τιμή των πέντε ευρώ, ήρθε στα χέρια μου το μεταχειρισμένο «Ζ» από τις εκδόσεις «Α. Α. Λιβάνη». Ήταν πολιτικό. Βαθιά πολιτικό. Αλλά τι; Μυθιστόρημα; Πολύ αληθινό για μυθιστόρημα. Θα μπορούσε να γράφει στο τέλος: «Οποιαδήποτε ομοιότητα με πρόσωπα ή καταστάσεις δεν είναι καθόλου συμπτωματική και έχει απόλυτη σχέση έχει με την πραγματικότητα.». Χρονικογράφημα; Ίσως να είναι πιο κοντά, αυτός ο όρος, στο συγκεκριμένο λογοτεχνικό έργο. «Λογοτεχνικό ρεπορτάζ» ή το «φανταστικό ντοκιμαντέρ ενός εγκλήματος», όπως είναι ο υπότιτλος αυτού του έργου; Στο blog της Κυριακάτικης Αυγής, «Αναγνώσεις» ο κ. Αγάθου αναφέρει πως: […] «Ο Τάσος Βουρνάς, ο Βασίλης Ραφαηλίδης, ο Απόστολος Σαχίνης αναρωτιούνται εάν το βιβλίο του Βασιλικού είναι μυθιστόρημα ή ντοκουμέντο, ενώ η Marguerite Duras το χαρακτηρίζει «μια μεγαλοπρεπή, μοντέρνα, εξαντλητική αφήγηση της πολιτικής αλήθειας». Ο ίδιος ο συγγραφέας το εντάσσει στην κατηγορία του μη μυθοπλαστικού μυθιστορήματος (non-fiction novel) που αρχίζει με το Εν ψυχρώ του Truman Capote.* Ο κάθε αναγνώστης νομίζω αποφασίζει, αν θα βάλει ετικέτα σε αυτό το έργο. Εγώ, ωστόσο, συμφωνώ απόλυτα με τη Marguerite Duras.

Read More Here: https://nikolasinbookland.wordpress.c...

[Νατάσσα]

Το ξαναδιάβασα, κοντά 30 χρόνια μετά την πρώτη φορά, με άλλα μάτια, άλλες γνώσεις.
Η ιστορία είναι γνωστή, αληθινή και συγκλονιστική από μόνη της. Η γραφή του Βασιλικού εξαιρετική, δυνατή και ξεκάθαρη, χωρίς περιττούς "φιόγκους". Ένα από τα καλύτερα έργα της νεοελληνικής λογοτεχνίας, το 'χει αποδείξει ο χρόνος έτσι κι αλλιώς.
Να σημειώσω πως η καινούρια έκδοση των εκδόσεων Gutenberg είναι προσεγμένη, και το επίμετρο της Γ. Φαρίνου-Μαλαματάρη διαφωτιστικό.

[Panos]

Αφήγηση ρέουσα, ζωντανή, με έντονο ρυθμό. Τα μόνα σημεία που με χάλασαν ήταν αυτά που περιγράφεται η διαδρομή της ψυχής και τα χωρία που η σύζυγος και και ο Πηρουχάς απευθύνονται σε β' πρόσωπο στον εκλιπόντα. Μάλλον ήταν πιο λυρικά και συναισθηματικά από όσο θα ήθελα ή απ' όσο ταιριάζει στην ποιότητα της γενικότερης αφηγηματικής δομής που συγκροτείται από την αρχή του έργου.

[Stratos]

Ενα βιβλίο το οποίο διαφημίστηκε από την ομώνυμη κινηματογραφική ταινία. Βιβλίο ντοκουμέντο έχει πλέον βάλει τη δική του σφραγίδα στην σύγχρονη ελληνική βιβλιογραφία

[Ferda Nihat Koksoy]

-(Toplumlarda) Ortak sağduyunun ötesi bir karanlık. Ne bir şizofrenin ani ışık geçişlerinin ne de şimşeklerin dağıtamayacağı kadar yoğun bir karanlık.

-...denize varmak için bir kanala girmesi gerekiyordu. Bunca su ortada kalmaz! Bunca verimli kaynak kimse onu değerlendirmenin bir yolunu bulamadı diye kurumaz!

-Diğerlerine inandığın zaman hayat ne kadar da güzeldir. ...Sen bana el ele tutuşalım dediğinde hayat ne güzeldir.

-Ruhu paslanmamış bir insan için AŞK her zaman aşktır. Aşk her bir yüzün, her bir çift parlak gözün ardında hep aynı kalır. Aşk ağzı dili kuruyan birinin suya duyduğu şiddetli istektir, bizi aşan şeylere karşı duyulan şiddetli arzudur. Sesimin içindeki sesindir. İki ses... Sen ve ben olmadan sen ve ben olmaktır. Tarih öncesi çağlardan gelme trompet seslerinin ritmini tekrarlamak; kendinden güneşin varlığından emin olduğu kadar emin bir eylemdir aşk.

-Gözleri, kocaman gözleri, üzerine çivilenmiş, mıknatıs gibi çekici, üzerinde hiç denize açılmamış ya da çok açılmış denizcilerin gerginliğiyle dolu, ışık saçan, dünyevi, içindeki bir titreştirdiği zaman dünyaya bağlanan bir teli titreten gözler...

-...canlılığının içindeki sonsuz ölü, beyazlığının içindeki sonsuz esmer. Ve ellerindeki toprak tadı.

-Tüm çok güçlü insanlar gibi tek bildiği okşamaktı.

-Ne yazık asla bir düşüncenin üzerinde bir araya gelmenin bilince varmadan deri hücreleri gibi ölüp gidenlere.

-Yaşam her an ölmeye hazır olduğunda güzel.

-Hayatın ve doğru düşüncelerin güzel olduğunu söylemek için eriştin bu bilgeliğe.

[Moshtagh hosein]

کتابی که ۹سال پیش خریدم
و اکنون خواندمش،بیشک اگر همان موقع می‌خواندمش بیشتر شگفت زده میشدم و کیف میکردم ازش
اگر گیرتون اومد و اهل خواندن رمان معاصر با تم سیاسی هستید جذبتون می‌کنه

[Γιώργος Ζωγράφος]

Τό ὅτι δέν μπορῦμε νά συνυπάρξουμε εἶναι γιατί ἐσύ καί ἐγώ ἀνήκουμε σέ κόσμους διαφορετικούς: ἐσύ στόν κόσμο τῶν ζωντανῶν νεκρῶν καί ἐγώ στόν κόσμο τῶν νεκροζώντανων...

Αν και στις τελευταίες 150 σελίδες μου φάνηκε κάπως βαρετό, δεν το θεώρησα μειονέκτημα γιατί δεν είναι μυθιστόρημα αλλά «μη-μυθιστορηματικό μυθιστόρημα» και οι απολογίες που περιέχει στο τέλος ήταν απαραίτητες. Μου άρεσε αρκετά γιατί πρώτα απ' όλα έμαθα πολλά για την δολοφονία του Λαμπράκη και γιατί η γραφή του Βασιλικού είναι εξαίρετη, ειδικά στο δεύτερο μέρος του βιβλίου όπου περιγράφεται το ταξίδι της σορού του Λαμπράκη και το παράλληλο ταξίδι της ψυχής του έξω από το τραίνο. Αν και κάπως κουραστικό, το προτείνω ως ένα πολύ καλό «δημοσιογραφικό» βιβλίο και ως ένα αξιόλογο μυθιστόρημα.

[DoctorM]

Brilliant novel about the murder of a leftist parliamentary deputy in early 1960s Salonika--- a political killing in a Greece on the edge of the coup that brought the Colonels to power. Vassilikos' "Z" is also the source for Costa-Gavras' film of the same name--- one of the great political thrillers of the 20th century. The novel is complex, and told through multiple viewpoints and conflicting voices, with the streets of Salonika and Athens as players as important as army officers, bureaucrats, and hired thugs. A fine, fine political novel, and one worth reading as Greece seems to be fracturing again. Very much worth finding and reading.

[George]

An interesting political novel about truth and corruption. Set mainly in Salonika, Greece, in 1963. A left wing man, ‘Z’, a doctor, is killed. The killing was planned by a secret fascist organisation. An examining magistrate is urged to close the case quickly, but he refuses, slowly uncovering the unsavoury details of a conspiracy.

This book was first published in 1966.

[MimbleWimble___ Elli Maria Moutsopoulou]

4-5 , τι σημασία έχει ; Ελπίζω να συνεχίσει να θεωρείται must read !!

[Antonis Giannoulis]

Μελέτησε τα δεδομένα σε βάθος, είναι μια καταγραφή ντοκουμέντο χρήσιμη που λέει πολλες αληθειες , αποκαλύπτει τρόπους δράσης , παράδρασης και συγκάλυψης . Θεωρώ ότι πραγματικά τα έδωσε όλα κατά την γραφή αυτού του βιβλίου και μαρεσει πολύ η αποτύπωση του Λαμπρακη . Θα ήταν ενδιαφέρον βεβαια να μαθαίναμε τι κάνουν στο σημερα κάποια από τα πρόσωπα αυτής της ιστορίας . Ποσό κοντα και ποσό μακρυα είναι η αριστερα του τοτε από την ζωή σημερα ;; Ποσό έχουν αλλάξει τα πραγματα και δολοφονίες γίνονται και στο σημερα από το παρακράτος ;

[Julio Bernad]

Audiorreseña detallada en mi podcast Gabinete de Curiosidades en el programa "Mis diez mejores novelas de 2023: https://go.ivoox.com/rf/122452942

1001 Libros que hay que leer antes de morir: N.º 189 de 1001

Este año el periodo electoral ha coincidido con el verano. Es decir, si a la mala leche que produce la política le añades la que produce el sol abrasador, las camisas empapadas de sudor y el ruido de los perros y los coches que entra por las ventanas siempre abiertas, el fermento es un coctel molotov bien empapado en gasolina y ansioso por recibir la chispa que lo active. Si encima leéis Z, la magistral novela política de Vassilikos, vais a saber perfectamente dónde lanzar el proyectil flamígero. O a quién.

Abstenerse cínicos, descreídos, fatalistas, depresivos o desencantados. Esta novela es puro veneno.

[Kamakana]

110813: this was made into an excellent film too, retains its interest even as you know how it ends...

[Realini Ionescu]

Z by Vassilis Vassilikos

9 out of 10


Alas, if you are looking for Z by Vassilis Vassilikos, the entries you find on the internet are scarce and the work that has been considered a masterpiece does not even have a Wikipedia page – whereas a multitude of futile, useless things and names have more than a page, they often have more than plenty – although it has been included on The Guardian’s 1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read list - https://www.theguardian.com/books/200... - in the State of the Nation section.

This reader has been transmogrified by the adaptation for the big screen, directed by the marvelous Costa-Gavras, with the magnificent, radiant Yves Montand and Jean-Louis Trintignant, a magnum opus that has won two Oscars, being nominated for Best Motion Picture, Best Director, the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film, the Jury Prize and Best Actor at the most relevant cinematic gathering, The Cannes Film Festival.
In fact, that initial impression, of decades ago, when the poignancy of the images was so powerful that the deputy who is hit with a club on the head stayed in my mind for the intervening years and unfortunately has managed somehow to overpower the rendition of the events described in the novel, which became thus one of the few perhaps no more than ten – books to be surpassed by the film, when both are magical.

One issue that one may have with the novel Z might be that it tends to be long, probably too long for the readers of this age – including the undersigned – especially if one knows the story, which I did, and the details of the process, the finding of the culprits, the overturning of initial false, incriminating statements made, in which vicious specialist said that the death of Z was caused by a fall and not by the club with which he was hit on the head, before the pickup with three wheels is driven across his body, which had stumbled to the ground.
The name of the book which is also the name chosen for the main character is fabulous in that it is a symbol and works better that a substitute for Grigoris Lambrakis, the real life deputy who had been killed in 1963, in Salonika, which has become in the meantime Thessaloniki, and Vassilis Vassilikos could have written about Alexis Gavras – by the way, Alexis Zorba by Nikos Kazantzakis is yet another contemporary chef d’oeuvre, by another Greek phenomenon – but the power resting within Z is glorious.

Another reluctance that this reader has had and it prevented it from fully attaching to Z, the narrative and the ‘good personages’ within is connected with the political orientation of the camp of the hero, for albeit he seems to be rather independent, detached from the communists, those are his most fervent supporters and this is anathema for someone who has ‘benefited’ from their doctrine, the cruel, exterminating, murderous tyranny brought by the Soviets, with the slogan ‘all animals are equal’, whereas we knew in practice, and from George Orwell, that ‘some animals are more equal than others’.
The hero is presented as close to a God, an athlete with a superb physique, with achievements in competitions, convincing, brave, powerful, intelligent and able to lead the crowds, but when he arrives in the city of Salonika, the local extreme right is poised to make an example out of him and his followers, using the authority, infrastructure of the police and other local institutions to beat, abuse, eventually eliminate, throw stones at those taking part in the meeting – which was difficult, almost impossible to organize, for the local leaders pressed those in charge of the venues to refuse the requests of the leftists.

A general, the chief of police and other high-ranking officials are all involved in the murder of Z, albeit it would be difficult – perhaps unattainable. – to convict those who gave the orders, in spite of the fact that the monsters used to swing the tools of death are apprehended quite soon – against the wishes of their leaders, who try to hide at least one of them, but because one courageous, heroic individual, Hatzis, jumps on the three wheeler, just as it tries to disappear from the crime scene, after the deputy had been clubbed on the head and then driven over, and he fights with the two monsters and thus exposes them to a possible punishment by the law.
Yango Gazgouradis and his partner in crime Vango, a pedophile who abuses victims and is protected by the police, in exchange for his brutality, the force he uses on opponents of the extreme right wing, those who call themselves Friends of Peace are communists all for the mad, pro fascist forces – they have alas not gone into extinction, either in Greece, where they have the Golden Dawn, or in other places, like America, where the supremacists, extremists now have an idol, the orange buffoon that 53% of republicans a new poll shows think he is better than…Lincoln!

The goons speak loudly about what they are going to do, after all, who is going to arrest them, if the chief of police and other men in uniform are the ones who organize and press them to abuse, beat and eventually kill their opposition, with promises of money and the abolition of fines, misdemeanors and other penalties they may face, the two killers and others who have been brought to the forefront to attack those who want to participate in the meeting and get close to the heroic Z.

Killing the brave, valuable, superhuman almost hero has some mixed results and we could say that on the one hand, his departure would have a tremendous echo, would help to unite his supporters, who have such a magnificent cause now, a God-like figure, eventually they win political power, but on the other hand, without going into spoiler details, we could also point out the fact that the process of bringing justice is immensely difficult – it ever achieved – and many of those involved, from Z, who pays with his life for his ideals, to Hatzis and others who g=face abuse, discrimination and physical violence for their decision to stand for justice, human values, truth, democracy and rule of law.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I was so looking forward to reading this novelized story of an assassination in Greece in 1963. Unfortunately, it is not very well written. Set aside at something around 75 pages.

[Max Nemtsov]

возвращаемся к местной классике, пора. Василис Василикос не просто греческий писатель, а фракийско-македонский, совсем наш здешний: родился в Кавале, родители с Тасоса, учился в Салонике. известен в первую очередь этим романом, который в свое время экранизировал Коста-Гаврас, причем так, что Салоника в нем похожа на настоящую, хотя снималась не тут. читая роман, становится понятно, до чего вообще хороша была та экранизация. памятник Ламбракису реально существует, он красивый, это место притяжения всех правильных протестантов в городе. там, в частности, был мемориал Навальному после его убийства.

сейчас, как это ни печально и ни странно, такой роман - о современном мученике за правое (не в смысле политической стороны) дело - вновь звучит остро и актуально:

The dead do not know how history is made. They have fed it with their blood; what comes after, they never learn. They are unaware of their sacrifice and this makes them still more beautiful. The early Christians knew why they were being sacrificed; they went to conscious martyrdoms. But in our day why should anyone talk of being sacrificed when what he believes is simply common sense—just common sense? Who ever said that justice and injustice should go hand in hand? Poverty and wealth? Peace and war? Nonetheless, though no one has ever said it, many people—a great many people—seem to uphold it every day in their words and actions.

отношение к Зи в романе - натурально как к мессии, с этим то ли греческим, то ли балканским надрывом, что местами может и покоробить. но жизнь микробиоты Салоники выведена прекрасно: начинаешь вообще лучше понимать этот т.н. народ, а также этот т.н. рабочий класс. роман меж тем любопытно сконструирован (и в экранизации это сохранено) - как гроздь историй разных участиков браунова движения в тот вечер на перекрестке улиц Эрму и Венизелу, где сам Зи - лишь этого движения катализатор, и разные версии "правды". в этой части написан роман незамысловато стилистически, хоть и с выходами в пафосную до слезливости риторику местами, что вообще, похоже, отличительная черта греческой прозы хх века. т.е. это когда автор не пускается в натурально Джойсовы пассажи и внутренние монологи или не играет газетными или казенными стилями, которыми изъясняются полицейские вши. в целом же роман - вполне образчик греческого полифонического модернизма, что видно даже по переводу.

...но получится занимательно, если прочесть его не только с левых позиций, с каких он, собственно, и был написан, а все же не забывая, каким мерзким злом был и остается совецкий имперский коммунизм (кстати, Стратису Циркасу в "Городах без руля и ветрил" не забыть это удалось). тогда все эти люмпены и ушлепки с дубинками, фашиствующие лавочники и их кукловоды приобретают некоторую, ну, что ли глубину и неоднозначность. неодномерны они уж совершенно точно, при этом оставаясь мерзкими неразвитыми насекомыми, из которых и вырастают отвратительные кишечнополостные и членистоногие путины и им подобные путиноиды.

That’s the difference between Communists and donkeys: when Communists get obstinate, they don’t refuse to budge; they simply bray twice as loud.

вместе с тем левые тогда были за мир:

Peace, I want to say, is practice. It’s refusing to pay your taxes when the money goes for armaments. It’s acting crazy to avoid military service. Peace is not an iсon of the Virgin appearing on the front to inspire the soldiers. It’s an iсon of statistics, figures, tangible truths. It is not—above all, it is not an idea.

из смешного - неожиданный привет параллельно посмотренному "Призраку свободы" Бунюэля:

In accordance with time-sanctioned usage, the accused went to the head office of the police department and “took cognizance.” When the former Chief of Police saw someone else behind his desk, “impersonating” the Chief of Police, he thought for a moment that he was going mad.

что собой представляет совецкий перевод романа, сказать трудно, потому что его название "дзета" по-гречески - это всего лишь название буквы, а "зи", как оно должно звучат на самом деле - глагол "живет", 3 лицо, ед.ч. (ежу понятно, что название буквы не может быть глаголом) поскольку главный герой-мученик тоже называется этим инициалом (и к нему так и обращаются), крайне странно и неестественно видеть обращение: "Послушайте, Дзета...", но, зная совецкую школу перевода, легко допустить, что там оно так и есть.

[iliooon]

όχι, δεν πεθαίνει κανείς όταν χιλιάδες στόματα φωνάζουν «αθάνατος»

[Jordan Iordanis]

Εξαιρετικό. Είναι βιβλίο που θα έπρεπε να διδάσκεται στα σχολεία. Πολύ καλό και αναλυτικό και το επίμετρο της Φαρίνου - Μαλαματάρη.

[Jenia]

Honestly I don't know what I think. It made me realise I read very little outright political fiction (rather than fiction with e.g. vague feminist themes), and I enjoyed that. In contrast the more ..... passionate, poetic bits I didn't like. I also find it weirdly tacky to describe the feelings of a widow whose husband died in a political assassination, when said widow was (is?) still alive. I kept thinking, what if she doesn't feel like this, what if she's angrier or number or whatever? Idk why that bothered me in a way that the flowery descriptions of his other friends'/political allies' didn't, maybe because it's a private, personal relationship in a book which is primarily political. Or because she's basically the only woman ;) Ah well. It does make me wanna read more old-timey political fiction - maybe I'll finally tackle Kollontai!!!!

[Rock]

Kind of like the 60s version of Rashomon - it's all the depositions and newspaper accounts of the assassination of a Communist MP in Greece by some thugs paid by right-wing politicians. I've wanted to read this ever since I saw the movie in high school. With the exception of a psychedelic interlude that immediately dates the book to the 60s, Z will likely activate your hippie hell-no-we-won't-go gene, if you have one.

[Mel]

This book was written during the trials of those accused of the assassination of 'Z' in Greece in the 1960s. Sometimes the floral writing got annoying, but the pseudonyms were rather interesting (depending on the translation from Greek). If you're very interested in getting into the nitty gritty of Greek history, this is a key book to read.

[Kealan O'ver]

The film took me by surprise in just how gripping it was and the book did the same. It's narrative is interesting as it follows the account of a fictional assassination which fills in for a real one that took place in Greece in the 1960's. Shocking to think that this can take place in the western world so recently.

[Vasilis Kanatas]

When a true story, that has shaken Greek Political system and society, comes to a well-written book, it is our obligation to read it!

[Martinocorre]

Italia e Grecia sono due nazioni potentemente affini e imparentate (Stessa faccia, stessa razza) e leggendo della politica greca mi è sempre sembrato di leggere della politica italiana, mi pare sia solo più esasperata della nostra…in tutto!
Per fortuna è da poco che ho finito di leggere un libro sulla storia della Grecia dal 1935 al secondo dopoguerra, questa cosa mi ha aiutato a godermi di più questo romanzo che ha tanti pregi tra cui quello di fare la fotografia di un momento storico restituendone tutti i colori e le vibrazioni, Salonicco nel 1963 rivive in queste pagine in maniera viva e prepotente, così come risalta la tensione di un ambiente sociale letteralmente esplosivo marcio di connivenze e complicità, dove il potere tutto corrompe.
Unica nota negativa la traduzione italiana che a volte mi ha lasciato un po’ perplesso, ad esempio: il Kamikaze, il veicolo di uno dei protagonisti, strumento che è centrale per la trama, per tutto il libro viene a volte definito “furgone” a volte “motocicletta”. La sensazione è che ogni tanto la traduttrice abbia tradotto le singole frasi perdendo di vista il libro nel suo complesso.

[Mady]

For the speech ahead, he’d merely made some notes. When you have something to say, it’s not difficult to say it. The difficulty comes when you have nothing to say and must talk anyway.

[Mehdii]

نمرهٔ واقعی: ۳.۵

[Damiana]

Z l'orgia del potere racconta la vicenda, realmente accaduta, dell'uccisione del deputato di sinistra Grigoris Lambrakis (che nel libro viene chiamato Z - "è vivo" in greco). L'omicidio, architettato dalla polizia in collaborazione con un'organizzazione di estrema destra, grazie a vari tentativi di insabbiamento e depistaggio all'inizio viene archiviato come un tragico incidente. Ma, dopo l'arresto di due dei responsabili, un giudice decide di vederci chiaro e aiutato da un testimone volontario e un giornalista, riesce ad accertare la verità e fa incriminare per omicidio premeditato i due arrestati, il capo della polizia e alcuni alti ufficiali dell'esercito. Il tutto, qualche anno prima che in Grecia si insedi la dittatura dei colonelli.
Il libro, scritto nel 1970, è diviso in 5 parti: la prima racconta il dramma di quella notte, e la bravura dell'autore ci fa immergere in un'atmosfera a tratti asfissiante; la seconda, a mio giudizio la più bella e poetica, con la descrizione del viaggio in treno della bara del deputato ucciso e parallelamente della sua anima, che lo segue dall'alto; la terza, col racconto serrato delle indagini, dei tentativi di depistaggio e insabbiamento; la quarta, con gli interrogatori dei principali accusati; la quinta, che racconta il vuoto lasciato da Z nella vita di chi lo aveva conosciuto.
Un libro scritto in maniera eccellente, che mi ha permesso di conoscere più a fondo la figura di Lambrakis e che, grazie al suo alto contenuto emotivo, è un potente atto d'accusa contro il futuro regime dei colonelli.

[Faustibooks]

A fine and well-written book! I enjoyed the setting of Thessaloniki and I found Vassilikos’ way of writing to be enjoyable. I didn’t particularly like or dislike the constant switching of perspectives, but I do think that it was executed quite well. Some sections of the book, especially Part 2 and the chapters in the perspective of Z’s loved ones, were exceptionally beautiful. The book could have been shorter in my opinion, but all in all I liked it!

“I am alone and the panic is mounting. In the end we are all alone. However much we deceive ourselves, however much we think otherwise, each of us suffers in private.”

“I am beginning to forget your face,” thought Pirouchas. “Little by little it is being erased from my brain cells, as new faces arise and supplant your beloved features. What will become of me? Little by little you are disappearing. Only your eyes in the enveloping darkness. What will become of me? Your movements I so admired. Merely to see you walk made the world my own. I no longer expect your phone call. Worst of all, one grows accustomed. We haven't time to mourn forever. I forget you and something inside me rebels, twists, a blade, a bayonet that pierces me. It isn't possible. I am inhabiting your last dwelling place, this hospital built with money from Greek emigrants in America. You are sinking and I sink with you. Neither of us has any hope. You are a dead man reborn. I am a live man dying.”