The Heroic Age

by Stratis Haviaras

How children are affected by war, how they survive - if they survive - and how their childhood is stolen from them are the themes of this novel.Set in Greece in the late 1940's, a country devastated first by Nazi occupation and now civil war, the story is narrated by twelve-year-old Panagis and tells how a small band of children, orphaned scavengers, leave their village in an attempt to escape to Albania.Haviaras, writing here in English, has insisted that this novel is not exactly an autobiography, but calls it 'an autobiography of my generation'.

Genres: Fiction, Greece

352 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1984

About the author

Stratis Haviaras (Greek: Στρατής Χαβιαράς) is a Greek-born poet and teacher. His first poetry collections were published in Greece.
He emigrated to the United States, where he received an MFA degree in creative writing. He held a number of positions at Harvard University, notably that of editor of the Harvard Review, as well as teaching creative writing during the summer program.
In English he has published poetry collections and a couple of novels, When the Tree Sings and The Heroic Age. He is a member of the American Authors League, PEN New England, the Modern Greek Studies Association, and the Greek Authors Society.
From 2002 onwards Haviarias coordinates the writing workshops of The National Book Centre in Athens, Greece.

Reviews

[Lane Ashfeldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book, full of fascinating detail about the Greek civil war just after world war two, told from the viewpoint of very young protagonists forced to flee their village. In its structure (interleaving snatches of found historical text with the narrative, not unlike the way that David Peace has done, but more accessibly) the book was ahead of its time. I wonder if this is why it is less widely known than it should be. At the time when I first read it, it provided an interesting and necessary counterpoint to the story Eleni, which many may know of as a film starring John Malkovich. (I saw the film but chose not to read the book as I got the impression Eleni was forcing a particular set of political views on the reader.)

Today there is increasing interest from both outside and within Greece in fiction that illuminates recent Greek history. This is evidenced by the most surprising success of 'The Island' by English writer Victoria Hislop, and the rather less well received 'The Thread' by the same author, a novel that explores similar subject matter to 'The Heroic Age', but very much a version researched after the event rather than told from personal experience.

Surely, given he is an internationally respected Greek author and translator, Stratis Haviaras's take on the Greek civil war is one worth listening to? If so, there must be a market for a re-issue of this novel. It is unlike Penguin to miss a beat when a reissue opportunity arises, but maybe another smart publisher will step in? Be it thanks to a book publisher or to Kindle, hopefully it will be soon be possible to read 'The Heroic Age' again.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gorgeous, unforgettable novel is criminally difficult to find, as is his first one, When the Tree Sings. Look for it in University-area used bookstores.

[Ian Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book years ago, and it has retained its value. An unusual story of refugee Greek children caught up in the 1940s civil war. They are pushed about by both Royalist and Communist forces, although the author seems covertly to prefer the latter. The author was himself a youthful witness to some of the events described. The description of the final battles in the mountains of North Greece, with American Curtis Helldiver aircraft dropping napalm, is most memorable. Written in an unusual and effective style of reminiscence and imagination.

[The_Night_Forest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn't like it as well as "When the Tree Sings" but still wonderful.

[Tore Knudsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of the children participating in the battle of Grammos and their deportation to the islands. It was very well told and absolute to have on the must-read shelf.

[Eddy64 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romanzo che ha avuto il pregio di raccontarmi un pezzettino di storia che non conoscevo. Nonostante la fine del conflitto mondiale, tra il 1945 e il 1949 in Grecia continuò la guerra civile tra i nazionalisti monarchici, appoggiati dagli anglo americani e i comunisti, gli Andartes, con il teorico sostegno della Russia (che non si concretizzò mai, in quanto a Yalta avevano già deciso le zone di influenza dei due blocchi). In questa guerra furono coinvolti i bambini: orfani, dispersi, separati dai genitori a causa degli eventi bellici: migliaia quelli arruolati, anche a forza, dai comunisti, stimati in trentamila quelli nei campi di raccolta nella vicina Albania, altri ancora nei campi di rieducazione dei nazionalisti. Panagis, protagonista e voce narrante, è uno dei tanti che dodicenne, scappato dal villaggio, vagabonda per il nord della Grecia. Si forma un piccolo gruppo di coetanei – Andreas, Issaris, Avrakis e Minos che ha solo cinque anni – e la vita è un’avventura in un paesaggio deserto e desolato, dove ogni giorno occorre trovare da mangiare e quando occorre anche da vestirsi, un’avventura quasi giocosa che si fa presto molto seria con gli orrori della guerra. Arruolati dagli Andartes finiscono coinvolti, come molti altri ragazzi, nella sanguinosa battaglia del monte Grammos, l’ultima della guerra civile, poi dopo un paio di mesi di stenti, deportati dai nazionalisti in un’isoletta a spaccar pietre come percorso di rieducazione. Finalmente, con un ammorbidimento della politica del governo, vengono affidati a lavorare presso gli abitanti di un’isola vicina, così possono vivere un’estate, tra i turisti, da ragazzi (quasi) spensierati come è giusto che sia. L’età eroica, quell’età che segna il passaggio dall’infanzia all’adolescenza fino alla prima giovinezza, è finita, per loro segnata indelebilmente, già per molti aspetti adulti prima del tempo, ma il futuro è rasserenante, la vita sta lentamente tornando alla normalità. Scritto dal punto di vista di un ragazzino, ma non troppo, offre lo sguardo di un dodicenne su un mondo che fatica a capire, ma a cui si deve adattare rapidamente, per poter sopravvivere. Un argomento difficile e doloroso trattato senza mai scendere nel patetico, lacrimoso o nel retorico, anzi con quel giusto pizzico di distacco, candore e talvolta ironia che fa perdonare alcune lungaggini. Tre stelle e mezzo.