Chronis Missios’s Followers (87)

Chronis Missios

Born

in Kavala, Greece

January 01, 1930

Died

November 20, 2012

Genre

Memoir, Philosophy, Fiction

edit data

Chronis Missios, an important Greek author, was also a major left-wing activist, imprisoned and tortured for the most part of his life, due to his political beliefs.

Chronis Missios did not learn to read and write at an official educational institution, as due to the then political circumstances in Greece, he was forced to drop out of school as early as at second grade.

The work of Chronis Missios reflects his deep concern for the fate of the world and his faith in the potential of humanity. He is one those few authors that were given that very rare grace of simplicity in writing, as often praised by Nobel Prize winner and prolific Greek poet Giorgos Seferis.

He was born in Kavala, Greece to a pair of tobacco workers. He spent his early years Chronis Missios, an important Greek author, was also a major left-wing activist, imprisoned and tortured for the most part of his life, due to his political beliefs.

Chronis Missios did not learn to read and write at an official educational institution, as due to the then political circumstances in Greece, he was forced to drop out of school as early as at second grade.

The work of Chronis Missios reflects his deep concern for the fate of the world and his faith in the potential of humanity. He is one those few authors that were given that very rare grace of simplicity in writing, as often praised by Nobel Prize winner and prolific Greek poet Giorgos Seferis.

He was born in Kavala, Greece to a pair of tobacco workers. He spent his early years in Potamoudia, a neighbourhood of refugees, workers and communists hunted by the authorities of the dictatorship of Metaksas [Greek general, serving as Prime Minister, 1936-1941]. His family fled to Thessaloniki, where Chronis Missios worked as a salesman.

He joined the Urban Democratic Army and in 1947, at the age of 17, he was arrested, brutally tortured and sentenced to death. He spent every single morning of the next 9 months awaiting his execution, eventually escaping death due to a random event.

Since then and until the August 1973 general amnesty, he spent the biggest part of his life as a political prisoner or exile. During this period he learned how to write and read. He spent the last years of his life living in near isolation with his partner, Rinio. He died in 2012.

His first book, the critically acclaimed "Lucky you died early" autobiography was published in 1985.

Chronis Missios has been critical of recent Greek governments and was surprised by people’s apathy. “For the first time, I live in a society that seems to have suffered a stroke. It does not react to anything,” he has said.

He is also famous for his saying:
“My generation failed to change the world but at least I did not let the world change me.” ...more

Combine Editions
Chronis Missios’s books

Average rating: 4.45 · 3,489 ratings · 155 reviews · 2 distinct works • Similar authors

	... καλά, ἐσύ σκοτώθηκες νωρίς by Χρόνης Μίσσιος, Chronis Missios, Γιάννης Μακριδάκης (Foreword) 4.51 avg rating — 1,770 ratings — published 1985 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Χαμογέλα, ρε... Τι σου ζητάνε; by Χρόνης Μίσσιος, Chronis Missios 4.39 avg rating — 1,750 ratings — published 1988	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

Quotes by Chronis Missios (?)

“My generation failed to change the world, but at least I did not let the world change me.”
― Chronis Missios

tags: idealism, integrity, politics, rebel

18 likes

“Θαρρώ πως μονάχα μια βαθιά και μεγάλη αγάπη για τη ζωή μπορεί να σώσει την ανθρώπινη ουσία σου, γιατί όπως η επανάσταση δεν είναι μια πολιτική πράξη αλλά μια βαθιά κοινωνική παιδεία, μια πολύχρωμη ερωτική επικοινωνία με τους ανθρώπους, τη φύση και τα πράγματα, έτσι και ο επαναστάτης δεν μπορεί να είναι ένας πολιτικός άνθρωπος, αλλά ένας άνθρωπος ερωτευμένος....”
― Chronis Missios, Χαμογέλα, ρε... Τι σου ζητάνε;

tags: αγάπη, επανάσταση

12 likes

“Η ζωή μας μια φορά μάς δίνεται. Άπαξ, που λένε. Σαν μια μοναδική ευκαιρία. Τουλάχιστον, μ'αυτήν την αυτόνομη μορφή της, δεν πρόκειται να ξαναϋπάρξουμε ποτέ. Και μεις τί την κάνουμε, ρε; Αντί να τη ζήσουμε; Τί την κάνουμε; Την σέρνουμε από δω και από κει δολοφονώντας την...
Οργανωμένη κοινωνία, οργανωμένες ανθρώπινες σχέσεις.

Μα αφού είναι οργανωμένες, πώς είναι σχέσεις;

Σχέση σημαίνει συνάντηση, σημαίνει έκπληξη, σημαίνει γέννα συναισθήματος.

Πώς να οργανώσεις τα συναισθήματα;

Έτσι, μ' αυτήν την κωλοεφεύρεση που τη λένε ρολόι, σπρώχνουμε τις ώρες και τις μέρες μας, σα να είναι βάρος. Και μάς είναι βάρος. Γιατί δε ζούμε... κατάλαβες;

Όλο κοιτάμε το ρολόι! Να φύγει κι αυτή η ώρα, να φύγει κι αυτή η μέρα, να έρθει το αύριο, και πάλι φτου κι απ'την αρχή.

Χωρίσαμε τη μέρα σε πτώματα στιγμών, σε σκοτωμένες ώρες που θα τις θάβουμε μέσα μας, μέσα στις σπηλιές του είναι μας, στις σπηλιές όπου γεννιέται η ελευθερία της επιθυμίας, και τις μπαζώνουμε με όλων των ειδών τα σκατά και τα σκουπίδια που μας πασάρουν σαν "αξίες", σαν "ανάγκες", σαν "ηθική", σαν "πολιτισμό".

Κάναμε το σώμα μας ένα απέραντο νεκροταφείο δολοφονημένων επιθυμιών και προσδοκιών.

Αφήνουμε τα πιο σημαντικά, τα πιο ουσιαστικά πράγματα, όπως να παίξουμε και να κουβεντιάσουμε με τα παιδιά και τα ζώα, με τα λουλούδια και τα δέντρα, να παίξουμε και να χαρούμε μεταξύ μας, να κάνουμε έρωτα, να απολαύσουμε τη φύση, τις ομορφιές του ανθρώπινου χεριού και του πνεύματος, να κατεβούμε τρυφερά μέσα μας, να γνωρίσουμε τον εαυτό μας και το διπλανό μας...

Όλα, όλα Σαλονικιέ, τ' αφήσαμε, γι' αυτό το αύριο, που δεν θα 'ρθει ποτέ...”
― Chronis Missios, Χαμογέλα, ρε... Τι σου ζητάνε;

7 likes

See all Chronis Missios's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
#readathon18: Ιανουάριος	198	389	Mar 07, 2017 10:08AM
Travel with books: Χώρα, συγγραφέας και βιβλίο	23	21	Sep 27, 2019 06:40AM

Chronis Missios’s Followers (87)

Chronis Missios

Combine EditionsChronis Missios’s books

Topics Mentioning This Author

Combine Editions
Chronis Missios’s books