George Psychoundakis (1920–2006)

A wonderful book; it is informative, entertaining, moving, funny, tragic, just perfect. It tells the life of a Greek shepherd who served as runner to British troops in Crete during WWII and is a fine companion to W Stanley Moss's Ill-met by Moonlight. It also gives great insight into the Cretan character. GP is an exceptional person, I was sorry to see that he died in 2006, and even more sorry that I did not know about him when I visited Crete as I was in his part of the world and would have show more made an effort to see at least his village. I much enjoyed his account of his visit to Jerusalem, one of the most moving travelogues I have ever read. He also brought to mind memories of my dad who served in Egypt and stayed near the pyramids, and wonder if their paths ever crossed. will never know.
At the end of the book is a letter by Patrick Leigh Fermor to a Greek academic praising George's translation of the Odyssey (including long passages on the merits of translations), I wonder if it was ever published.
I should mention, too, that there is a comprehensive index at the back of the book, and map endpapers, which were useful but it was not always easy to find the villages mentioned. show less

Rating is probably a little higher than it deserves

But an interesting read about the war in Crete and the efforts of the resistance.

Big Ship
9 March 2014

"El bravo Gunga Din cretense", Jacinto Antón, El País 27.08.2006: https://elpais.com/diario/2006/08/27/domingo/1156650759_850215.html