Eleftheria, Forever in Black

Book excerpt: Several years ago, I was diagnosed and consequently had surgery for spinal stenosis. This condition forced me to spend more time at home. I became tired of watching the same reality shows over and over and began thinking of my own life. Over the course of three years I began to write down my memories and those of my sister Eleftheria. I soon realized it was quite the story. All the names, places and dates of this book are real and truthful. Every incident described in this book was witnessed by me or confirmed by members of my immediate or extended family. The horrible truth is that we lived in hellish indignation. After WWII and during the Greek Civil War, in many instances the hatred intensified and the fear took over. I witnessed fathers and sons turning on each other and even go as far as shooting one another. Everyone was dressed alike. One couldnt discern friend from foe. If you were asked a question and gave the wrong answer; you had better start praying. For 10 whole years we lived in a chaotic, dangerous and corrupted environment. I witnessed arson and death. I even saw people tortured with hot oil and slashings. All these experiences culminated into excruciating nightmares that have haunted and continue to haunt me all my life. This book is about the war and two families, the Papaioannou and the Kalogeras families, which battled hunger, sickness, resentment, immigration and death.