Eleni

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Summary: A mother of an honorable legacy: Eleni
Review: I read the book some 5 years ago and found myself closing the book to the horrifying scenes of torture. This is the true story of an era of shame in the history of Greece that so many Greeks tried to hush and distort the truths about the so called "civil war". It is an honest encounter of the horrors of that war. But most of all it is the story and glory of a mother whom words cannot describe her grace, her love for her children and her courage. Nocholas Gatzogiannis bears a legacy of a mother that very few people can understand. Should Eleni's spirit sees him from above, she can only feel proud of her son. For he not took revenge but instead wrote the TRUTH.

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Summary: Praise God!
Review: I read this book for my book group and it was very hard to get through. It is very well-written and interesting, if you can get past the Greek names, killing, starvation, torture and general horror. Not wanting to be defeated by a book, I read on, trying to mentally cover my eyes and rush through the worst of the beatings and torture. Somewhere along the way I became mesmerized by Nicola's story of his Mother's life and how she managed to defy the communists. It is a very heart-wrenching story, from the clouds of war in the beginning to the final horrible outcome for her. But it is also uplifting in the sense that her spirit prevailed right to the end and lives on in her son, who upholds her example in his most trying hour. Anyone who can read this book and not thank God he was born in the United States, and is living in a time of peace must be crazy!

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Summary: A Son's Journey of Redemption and Forgiveness
Review: I remember being totally captivated and touched by Eleni, reading it few years back. Deciding to read it again now, my positive attitude has not been diminished, although I can now see some flaws that I did not pay attention to the first time.
As a son's personal journey, obsessed by the death of his mother, and his burning need to exact revenge on those who have denied her her most basic rights as a human being, Eleni works brilliantly.
It is written is such a way that will totally engage you, admiring the courage and strenght of character of this brave woman who has shown unwavering sense of duty,and unconditional love and dedication for her children, that resulted in the ultimate sacrifice.
There are two tones in Eleni.
The first and last chapters are very personal,and deal with Gage's emotional state, his still unexpressed grief for his mother, and his investigative work,trying to put names on the blurred faces of her executioners.
Yet in most of the other chapters, Gage takes the tone of an objective narrator (or as objective as he can be), describing in literary prose the story of Eleni,Greece during the war,the traditional village life in the mountains,the struggles of the peasants trying to make ends meet,their deep faith laced with centuries old superstitions and tradition, and subsequently the events that lead to his mother's death after the communist take over of the Mourgana mountains.
What is so striking about Eleni, is how Gage's sorrow, and anger is so believable and raw after all these years, yet how majestic is the power of forgiveness he was able to find within him!
I loved the fact that at the end, Gage was able to exorcise the demons that had haunted him since he was nine, and when finally he faces the judge that sent his mother to her death, he finds Justice and his peace of mind through forgiveness and not revenge.
Yet, the flaws that I found in Eleni and which I mentioned above were mainly because of the prejudiced overtones of the book:
On one hand it is understandable coming from a grieving son, less so coming from an investigative reporter.
Naturally the communists take the full brunt of his prejudice, and although atrocities were committed during the war in the name of many ideologies, from fascism to communism, you can feel that his anger, because of his mother's fate is solely directed towards the red guerrillas.
Moreover, the historic animosities between Greeks and Turks do resurface again in his book,and the minority Turks of Greece are portrayed as aliens,conniving, ungrateful,and allying with the axis powers against their 'Christian' countrymen...(however we all know that collaborators were of every ethnic group and faith).
Having said all that, Eleni is still a wonderful read,(if you can weed out these prejudices),if only to admire courage, unconditional love, sacrifice, a son's dedication to his mother's memory and his journey of redemption during which he found a wonderful power few of us possess: forgiveness!

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Summary: The book that changed my life
Review: I was given a copy of Eleni many years ago - perhaps ten. The strength of love felt by a mother for her children was a power death could not diminish nor end. Poverty, civil war, hardship and community rivalry are key themes but none so haunting as Eleni's love for her children. I urge you to read this book. I never forgot it although I subsequently mislaid it. Some seven years later I had a little girl and I called her Eleni. A year ago I was in a book store in Florida and to my delight came across it again which I immediately bought to give to my Eleni when she is older.

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Summary: A powerful and inspiring story
Review: I would like readers to know what an inspiration Eleni was for me: it helped send me on a journey home to the Aegean islands to follow the story of another catastrophe, this one involving the Greek sponge divers of the Aegean. That catastrophe also involved family. My book, The Bellstone: The Greek Sponge Divers of the Aegean, Reading Line: One American's Journey Home, deals with an epic poem my grandfather wrote a century ago on the island of Rhodes -- and the death many young men of valor on the sponge-fishing islands. Eleni surely is an even more personal and a darker story; still I understand now the passion of a family story and the quest to know truth the past can reveal -- if you pursue it relentlessly. To tell the story of Eleni, Nick Gage uses the power of his investigative reporting skills, his grace with the English language, and the will that his courageous mother instilled in him. Eleni is, I believe, one of the most powerful stories written in the English language.

Rating:
Summary: A powerful and inspiring story
Review: I would like readers to know what an inspiration Eleni was for me: it helped send me on a journey home to the Aegean islands to follow the story of another catastrophe, this one involving the Greek sponge divers of the Aegean. That catastrophe also involved family. My book, The Bellstone: The Greek Sponge Divers of the Aegean, Reading Line: One American's Journey Home, deals with an epic poem my grandfather wrote a century ago on the island of Rhodes -- and the death many young men of valor on the sponge-fishing islands. Eleni surely is an even more personal and a darker story; still I understand now the passion of a family story and the quest to know truth the past can reveal -- if you pursue it relentlessly. To tell the story of Eleni, Nick Gage uses the power of his investigative reporting skills, his grace with the English language, and the will that his courageous mother instilled in him. Eleni is, I believe, one of the most powerful stories written in the English language.

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Summary: A Greece Few Know About
Review: I'm half Greek and have lived in Greece most of my life. The period of the Greek Civil War is rarely talked about and when it is, it is always under a cloud of secrecy and obscurity. Participants on either side mostly keep a low profile, deny their involvement or distort what happened as is correctly revealed by the author. Whether you are interested in the historical side or just looking for a good read 'Eleni' is a superb book about the struggle of a woman, a village and a country which wounds have not entirely healed despite the passing of more than 50 years.

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Summary: What a book?
Review: Ironically, the reader enjoys the story because of the compelling way Nicholas Gage describes his pain and tragedy. I've rarely read a book that I just couldn't put down, this is one of them. I too am a Greek American, my own mother's name is Eleni and my younger brother's name is Niko, so I could just imagine the close bond Nicholas Gage (the baby of the family) and his mother had. I think this book does an amazing job of describing just how cruel people can be to each other in a Civil War.

Rating:
Summary: One of the most powerful books written
Review: Mr.Gage spoke at my college graduation and spoke about his mother Eleni. I pick up the book and was moved to tears.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful,Intense,Emotional,Educational & Informative
Review: My in-laws are from Greece & they lived during this time period so the book was very enlightening. The strength of the Greek women & children during such a terrible time touched me & I pray for the souls of those who died.