Alki Zei
Encyclopedia
Alki Zei (born 1925, Athens
, Greece
) is a Greek
novelist and children's author.
, the Drama School of the Athens Odeion, and in the screenwriting department of the Moscow Cinema Institute. From 1954 to 1964 she lived in the Soviet Union
as a political refugee. In 1964 she and her family returned to Greece, but they all left again when the junta
seized power in 1967. That time she stayed in Paris, returning only after the dictatorship fell.
Alki Zei took up writing very young. During her early years at junior high school she started writing plays for puppet theatre
. Her first novel, The Tiger in the Shop Window (a.k.a. Wildcat Under Glass), (1963) was inspired by her childhood spent in Samos
and is semi-autobiographical. This was followed by a series of books for children, and in 1987 by her first novel for adults, Achilles Fiancee . Her books have been translated into numerous languages.
Her teenage novel Constantina and her spiders (a.k.a. Tina's Web, won the Greek IBBY prize
for the best book for older children, and Alki Zei has been nominated as a candidate for the 2004 Hans Christian Andersen Award
for Writing and Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
for Literature. The Mildred L. Batchelder Award
was granted for the translation to English and publishing in the United States of Wildcat Under Glass (1970), Petros' War (1974), and The Sound of the Dragon's Feet (1980).
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
) is a Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
novelist and children's author.
Biography
Alki Zei studied in the philosophy school of Athens UniversityNational and Kapodistrian University of Athens
The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens , usually referred to simply as the University of Athens, is the oldest university in Southeast Europe and has been in continuous operation since its establishment in 1837. Today, it is the second-largest institution of higher learning in Greece,...
, the Drama School of the Athens Odeion, and in the screenwriting department of the Moscow Cinema Institute. From 1954 to 1964 she lived in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as a political refugee. In 1964 she and her family returned to Greece, but they all left again when the junta
Military dictatorship
A military dictatorship is a form of government where in the political power resides with the military. It is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military....
seized power in 1967. That time she stayed in Paris, returning only after the dictatorship fell.
Alki Zei took up writing very young. During her early years at junior high school she started writing plays for puppet theatre
Puppet
A puppet is an inanimate object or representational figure animated or manipulated by an entertainer, who is called a puppeteer. It is used in puppetry, a play or a presentation that is a very ancient form of theatre....
. Her first novel, The Tiger in the Shop Window (a.k.a. Wildcat Under Glass), (1963) was inspired by her childhood spent in Samos
Samoš
Samoš is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Kovačica municipality, in the South Banat District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,247 people .-See also:...
and is semi-autobiographical. This was followed by a series of books for children, and in 1987 by her first novel for adults, Achilles Fiancee . Her books have been translated into numerous languages.
Her teenage novel Constantina and her spiders (a.k.a. Tina's Web, won the Greek IBBY prize
International Board on Books for Young People
The International Board on Books for Young People is a non-profit organization based in Switzerland committed to bringing books and children together.-History:...
for the best book for older children, and Alki Zei has been nominated as a candidate for the 2004 Hans Christian Andersen Award
Hans Christian Andersen Award
The Hans Christian Andersen Award, sometimes known as the "Nobel Prize for children's literature", is an international award given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People in recognition of a "lasting contribution to children's literature"...
for Writing and Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award is an international children's literature award, established by the Swedish government in 2002 in honour of the Swedish children's books writer Astrid Lindgren...
for Literature. The Mildred L. Batchelder Award
Mildred L. Batchelder Award
The Mildred L. Batchelder Award, also known as the Batchelder Award, is an award granted annually by the Association for Library Service to Children a division of the American Library Association . The award is named in honor of Mildred L. Batchelder, former director of the ALSC...
was granted for the translation to English and publishing in the United States of Wildcat Under Glass (1970), Petros' War (1974), and The Sound of the Dragon's Feet (1980).
Works
- The Purple Umbrella [L'Ombre Mauve in French translation]
- Grandpa the liar (O Pseftis Pappous)
- The Tiger in the Shop Window (a.k.a. Wildcat Under Glass) / Το Καπλάνι της Βιτρίνας (1963)
- Petros' War / Ο μεγάλος περίπατος του Πέτρου (1971)
- Achilles' Fiancée / Η αρραβωνιαστικιά του Αχιλλέα (1987) [English translation by G. Holst-Warhaft 1991]
- Uncle Plato / Ο θείος Πλάτων (1975)
- Hannibal's Shoes / Τα παπούτσια του Αννίβα (1979)
- Constantina and her spiders (a.k.a. Tina's Web) / Η Κωνσταντίνα και οι αράχνες της (2002)