Papas' Greece

Only at the age of 36 did Bill Papas summon up enough courage to return to the Greek village of Ermioni that his father had left 60 years before. It was a disaster! His relatives wrecked his car and he couldn't wait to leave the country. However, he was forced to stay an extra two weeks to repair the damage to his car and slowly Greece worked its magic. Gradually he understood why he behaved as he did at times, yelling, dancing, drinking--he was Greek!

During the 60's, Bill was one of London's best known political cartoonists. He worked for the Guardian and Sunday Times newspapers and Punch Magazine. In 1970, Bill decided to retire early and escape the rat race and so he moved to Greece with his wife, Tessa. For thirteen years he and Tessa lived in the village of Ermioni during the winter and spent their summers sailing the Aegean and Ionian seas with Socrates, their pet donkey. Papas' Greece is a warm and affectionate look at Greece and Greeks during the 1970's. It is full of anecdotes about the Papas' neighbors, friends, sailing, and partying. This book is a true collaborative effort with Tessa's humorous text complimented by Bill's effortless watercolors and witty pen and ink sketches. This coffee table book is a must for anyone who knows and loves Greece.