Writers / Speakers

“Within the circle” by Arne Dahl
Renowned Swedish crime writer Arne Dahl discusses with journalist Nikos Kourmoulis about his book “Within a circle”, his relationship with the debate on environmental destruction and the notorious NOVA team – a group of eccentric police officers who take on the most unusual cases.

CO-ORGANIZED BY: Metaixmio Publishing

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

The depiction of racial discrimination in the literature of Paulo Scott & Louis-Philippe Dalembert
Brazilian novelist, poet, and short story writer Paulo Scott and Haitian novelist, poet, and essayist Louis-Philippe Dalembert (2024 Goncourt Prize for Poetry) discuss the depiction of racial discrimination and social injustice in their books “Marrom e Amarelo”/ “Phenotypes” and “Milwaukee Blues”, respectively. Moderated by Kostas Athanasiou, translator.

CO-ORGANIZED BY:  Hellenic Ibero-American Literature Festival in Athens LEA / Gutenberg Publishing / Kastaniotis Publishing

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

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The Normalization of the Far Right in the West
A discussion on the rise, normalization, and dynamics of the far right in the contemporary Western world. Participants include Davide Coppo, Italian author and journalist, Nikos A. Alivizatos, emeritus professor of Constitutional Law at the Law School of the University of Athens, Stavros Zoumboulakis, president of the Board of Trustees of the National Library of Greece, Makis Malafekas, author, and Louis-Philippe Dalembert, Haitian author. Moderated by Manolis Pimplis, journalist and director of the Chania Book Festival.

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

Police literature and war
The members of the Hellenic Club of Police Literature Writers (ELSAL) Vassilis Danellis, Nina Kouletaki and Lefteris Giannakoudakis discuss the depiction of war in police literature, both Greek and foreign.

Organised by the Greek Club of Crime Writers (ELSAL)

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

Libraries and Democracy
Speakers: Paraskevi Choudalaki, Head of Libraries of the Municipality of Chania: “Libraries of the Municipality of Chania: Dormitories of knowledge, democracy, culture” / Dr Anthi Katsirikou, President of the Association of Greek Librarians and Information Scientists, Head of the Library of the University of Piraeus: “A brief theoretical introduction” / Maria Chetzaki and Katerina Voutiraki, Librarian and Head of the Library & Information Centre of the Hellenic Mediterranean University: “Libraries and services for students with print disabilities (visually impaired)” / Maria Daoudaki, Head of Department at the Library & Information Centre of the Technical University of Crete: “Academic libraries and the Open Access movement” / Dr Manolis Koukourakis, Library & Information Centre of the Technical University of Crete: “Academic libraries and cultural resources” / Irini Dragasaki: Koundourios Public Library of the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos: “Cultural events for reading culture”.

Co-organised by the Association of Greek Librarians and Information Scientists

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

Tribute to Manolis Anagnostakis: 100 years since his birth
 Aspects of his work and life through two new publications

“Vivliografia Manoli Anagnostaki (1941-2023)” (“Bibliography of Manolis Anagnostakis (1941-2023)”) by bibliographer and critic Dimitris Daskalopoulos, as well as the book “Pragmatologika Scholia sto Ergo tou Manoli Anagnostaki” (“Pragmatic Comments on the Work of Manolis Anagnostakis”) by philologist Miltiadis D. Polyviou, are presented by Thaleia Ieronymaki, Assistant Professor of Modern Greek Philology at the University of Patras, and Lizzie Tsirimokou, Emerita Professor of General and Comparative Literature at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Moderation: Emmi Papavasileiou, President of the Friends of Poet Manolis Anagnostakis Club.

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

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“Grafo poimata aneta kai anapaftika gia oles tis logokrisies” (“I Write Poems Comfortably and Relaxedly for All Censorships”)
Participants: Dimitris Daskalopoulos, Thaleia Ieronymaki, Miltiadis D. Polyviou, Lizzie Tsirimokou, Pantelis Boukalas, poet, essayist, translator, and journalist, discuss the significant legacy of the work of Manolis Anagnostakis.

Moderation: Manolis Pimplis, journalist and director of the Chania Book Festival.

CO-ORGANIZED BY: Friends of Poet Manolis Anagnostakis Club / Patakis Publishing

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

“Antres choris Antres” (“Men without Men”) by Nikos Davvetas
Nikos Davvetas discusses his book with the author Yannis Baskozos.

Co-organized by Patakis Publishing

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

“Lipotaktes” (“Deserters”) by Giannis Theodorakis

Giannis Giannakakis, Deputy Mayor of Culture of the Municipality of Chania, Antonis Diamantis, director, actor, and Kostas Moutzouris, philologist, discuss about Giannis Theodorakis‘ book (1932-1996), “Lipotaktes” (“Deserters”) (Metronomos Publishing). Poems will be recited by actors Spyros Pritsas and Evi Manavaki. Moderation: Ioanna Karamali, translator, poet.

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

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The Everyday Man in Literature and History
The writers Éric Vuillard, Maro Doukas, Michalis Modinos and the Assistant Professor of Modern Greek Literature at the University of Crete, Yannis Dimitrakakis, discuss the use of History in literature, how literature turns the lens towards the everyday person, whether he is a victim of History or becomes its driving force.

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

“Nikos Gkatsos. Doste mou mia taftotita, na thymitho poios eimai” (“Nikos Gatsos. Give me an identity, so I can remember who I am”) by Stavros G. Kartsonakis
First presentation of the book “Nikos Gkatsos. Doste mou mia taftotita, na thymitho poios eimai (Poiisi kai stichourgiki 1931-1991)” (“Nikos Gatsos. Give me an identity, so I can remember who I am”) (Poetry and lyrics 1931-1991)”). The author discusses with the writer Agathi Dimitrouka and the professor of Modern Greek Literature at the University of Palermo, Maria Caracauzi, about the book, which contains important – known and unknown – research and judgments about the poet, his youthful literary steps of the first period, unpublished notes, radio broadcasts and chronicles of the creation of his important works.

Co-organized by Metronomos Editions

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

European Literature and R-evolution
Antigoni Vlavianou, Associate Professor of History of European Literature (Hellenic Academy of Sciences) and Titika Dimitroulia, Professor of Theory and Practice in Translation (University of Athens), discuss about: “European Literature and the R-evolution”, commenting on it in the context of an individual or collective attempt to distance and release literary creation towards a political, ethical and aesthetic crisis. They discuss European literary/artistic movements and authors who opposed the established order with bold disbelief, caustic irony and a more or less radical theory. Moderated by Poli Krimnioti, journalist.

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

On the road to a new homeland
The Cypriot author of the novel «Ti einai enas kampos” (“What is a plain”), Nasia Dionysiou and the author of Chania origin of the novel “Patriot”, Michalis Malandrakis discuss the adventures of uprooted people they describe in their books, whether they move in groups as long-suffering refugees or individually as migrants in search of a better fate or a dream.

Co-organized by Polis Publishing

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

“Gia tin kardia kai to sykoti tou” (“For his heart and liver”) by Lena Divani
The wife, the mistress, and the mother of a clinically dead man fight over who is entitled to give (or refuse to give) his organs for transplantation. The author Lena Divani talks about her new novel with Zoe Georgoula, journalist, Project Organization & Production Manager of the Chania Book Festival.

Co-organized by Patakis Publishing

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

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“Ta Monopatia mou stin Kriti: Apokoronas” (“My Paths in Crete: Apokoronas”)

Dimitris Michelogiannis, Special Advisor to the Regional Governor of Crete, discusses with author Lena Divani and Fivos Tsaravopoulos, Founder of the SCE Paths of Greece, for the new publication of the Region of Crete.

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

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“Ergazomeno agori” (“Working Boy”) by Lena Divani
Αuthor and historian Lena Divani introduces her most recent book, which has been nominated for the European Library’s Readers of Europe 2023 shortlist.

Co-organized by Patakis Publishing

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

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“Reinventing love. How patriarchy sabotages heterosexual relationships” by Mona Chollet
The journalist and essayist Mona Chollet discusses with the author Lena Divani about her new book (Stereoma Publishing) which won the European Essay Prize for 2022.

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

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Michael Llewellyn Smith: “Crete in my life”
Address by the esteemed British historian, diplomat, and traveler Michael Lewellin Smith on the impact of Crete in shaping his life and work. The introduction will be delivered by Dimitris Michelogiannis, a lawyer and special adviser to the Region of Crete. Following the lecture, author and historian Lena Divani will engage in a discussion with Michael Lewellin Smith.

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

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“Cheiropoiiti Kriti (“Handmade Crete”) by Isabella Zampetaki
Presentation of the book “Cheiropoiiti Kriti (“Handmade Crete”) by the writer and journalist Isabella Zampetaki and the writer and historian Lena Divani.

Organized by Pyxida tis Polis Publishing / With the support of Crete Region

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

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“Oneireftika ti Dido” (“I dreamed of Dido”) by Lena Divani
The historian and author Lena Divani talks to the journalist Alexandra Christakaki about her new book, a hybrid kind of biography of Dido Sotiriou.

Co-organized by Patakis Publishing

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

“Notturno Francese” / “Nighttime in France” by Fabio Stassi
Italian novelist, short story writer, and essayist Fabio Stassi converses with translator Dimitra Dotsi about his new book. Moderated by Kiriaki Beioglou, journalist and member of the organizing team of the Chania Book Festival.

CO-ORGANIZED BY: Ikaros Publishing

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

“Na eicha, leei, mia trompeta” (“If only I had a trumpet”) by Maro Douka
The writer Maro Douka talks to the journalist Mikela Chartoulari regarding her new novel “Na eicha, leei, mia trompeta” (“If only I had a trumpet”).

Co-organized by Patakis Publishing

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

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Overcoming the limits of the Occupation
The editor of the second edition of Stavros Vlontakis‘ book “I Ochyra Thesis Kritis” (“The Fortress of Crete”), George Vlontakis, the authors Maro Douka, Niki Troullinou and the historian Spyros Daountakis discuss the presence of the German occupation army in Chania after their withdrawal from the rest of Greece.

Co-organized by Antigone Publishing

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

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The Everyday Man in Literature and History
The writers Éric Vuillard, Maro Douka, Michalis Modinos and the Assistant Professor of Modern Greek Literature at the University of Crete, Yannis Dimitrakakis, discuss the use of History in literature, how literature turns the lens towards the everyday person, whether he is a victim of History or becomes its driving force.

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

2nd Chania Book Festival 2023

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The levitation between the local and the global
The practical relationship of poetry with history and with current affairs. The relationship of poetry to other arts and forms of expression. With poets: Yannis Doukas, Haris Psarras, Orpheas Apergis, Lenia Zafeiropoulou, Krystallis Glyniadakis.

1st Chania Book Festival 2022

“To tyflo gourouni sti Defteri odo” (“The Blind Pig on Second Avenue”) by Soti Triantafyllou
Author Soti Triantafyllou discusses her new book with journalist Dimitris Doulgeridis.

Co-organized by: Patakis Publishing

4th Chania Book Festival 2025

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“Déserter” (“Deserting”) by Mathias Énard
The multi-award-winning (Goncourt Prize 2015, shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize 2017, etc.) French author Mathias Énard talks about his new novel with journalist Dimitris Doulgeridis. With the support of the Hellenic-French Association of Chania.

Co-organized by the French Institute of Greece / Stereoma Publishing

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

“Telesi” (“Telesis”) by Fotis Dousos
Author Fotis Dousos talks to journalist Alexandra Christakaki about his book (Nisos Publishing), a psychological thriller about the forces of creation and destruction that we hide inside us.

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

Libraries and Democracy
Speakers: Paraskevi Choudalaki, Head of Libraries of the Municipality of Chania: “Libraries of the Municipality of Chania: Dormitories of knowledge, democracy, culture” / Dr Anthi Katsirikou, President of the Association of Greek Librarians and Information Scientists, Head of the Library of the University of Piraeus: “A brief theoretical introduction” / Maria Chetzaki and Katerina Voutiraki, Librarian and Head of the Library & Information Centre of the Hellenic Mediterranean University: “Libraries and services for students with print disabilities (visually impaired)” / Maria Daoudaki, Head of Department at the Library & Information Centre of the Technical University of Crete: “Academic libraries and the Open Access movement” / Dr Manolis Koukourakis, Library & Information Centre of the Technical University of Crete: “Academic libraries and cultural resources” / Irini Dragasaki: Koundourios Public Library of the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos: “Cultural events for reading culture”.

Co-organised by the Association of Greek Librarians and Information Scientists

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024

“Oi exisoseis” (“The Equations”) by Vassilios F. Drolias
Astrophysicist and author Vassilios Drolias discusses with Vassilis Kimoulis, Press Office and Communication Manager of the Chania Book Festival, about his new hybrid novel on modern physics and science in general.

Co-organized by Gutenberg Publishing

3rd Chania Book Festival 2024