Synopsis "The Lame Angel (in English)"
Angel Sotiriou, a young private detective, is forced to flee New York to escape the Mafia. He returns to Greece, the land of his forebears, hoping to establish himself professionally in Athens. During the first years of the Second World War he finds himself trapped in a city under occupation, with little knowledge of the country beyond its language. He must navigate between an authoritarian state, opportunists willing to exploit him at every turn, and a citizenry made desperate by the Great Famine. When a mysterious and seemingly omnipotent old gentleman appears in his office to engage his services, and endows him with a startling gift, his life is forever changed. This is the story of a man with blighted hopes, who discovers love and friendship and ultimately his own worth and humanity, amidst the miseries, starvation and dogged courage of wartime Athens. A Greek edition of The Lame Angel was first published in 2002 to widespread praise. This is the first English translation.Alexis Panselinos read Law at the University of Athens and worked as a practicing lawyer. His first book, a collection of stories, appeared in 1982 to great acclaim. In 1985 his novel The Great Procession won the State Prize. His novel Zaida or A Camel in the Snow was nominated for the 1997 European Literary Award. The Dark Inscriptions received the Novel Prize from Diavazo literary magazine in 2012. His latest novel Light Greek Songs won the 2018 Prize of the Athens Academy. His novels have been widely translated into French, German, Italian, Polish and Romanian. He has received the Great Award for Life Achievement from the eminent literary magazine O Anagnostis (The Reader). He lives in Athens, Greece.
