Greece: Margariti, Epirus; THE NIFI (Linda Fagioli-Katsiotas)

You can tell how highly I appreciated this book by Linda Fagioli-Katsiotas. Having read the Kindle edition with great pleasure, I have now ordered the paperback. I couldn't put my Kindle down: there is so much packed into this short book that I recognize to be true about life in relatively remote Epirot mountain villages, whether in Thesprotia or in the Zagorochoria. It is not that common to come across and to read a woman's perspective of the hardships and the joys of life in this North-West region of Greece. It's a very honest - and utterly convincing- true story. It's a pity that there are not more accounts written by Epirote women over the last few hundred years, when the men often went abroad to work, leaving the wives and children behind for extended periods. The Nifi vividly brings to life the experiences of several generations of brave and long-suffering Greek women, as well as the author's own experiences since the early 1980's. Although an American herself, Linda Fagioli-Katsiotas has had more than enough insider experience to be able to give all these Greek women - and the men- really authentic voices.

Amazon.co.uk listing

"The Nifi opens in 1983 in the remote Greek village of Margariti where the narrator, a young American woman, finds herself after having impulsively married a Greek immigrant she had been working with at a local diner in a New York suburb. Her new husband's mother, Chevi, welcomes her and though they share no common language, as time goes by Chevi is able to convey the heartache and betrayals of her life and the heroine emerges.

The Nifi is a story rich in the culture, traditions and triumphs of one small valley and the events that defined generations".

Amazon.com listing

"This is a story of love and triumph—a story that stretches from Greece to New York and back again. The Nifi opens in 1983 in a remote Greek village where the narrator, a young American woman, finds herself after having eloped with a Greek immigrant from a local diner in a New York suburb. She speaks no Greek and the villagers speak no English, but her new mother-in-law, Chevi, welcomes her and through her son, is able to convey the heartache and betrayals of her life, slowly emerges as a heroine in a heart-wrenching tale. This story is rich in the culture and traditions of one small valley and the events that defined generations. It will leave you with an unquenchable yearning for more!"

MARGARITI (YouTube video)