Sixty years of vintage…
Often reduced to ancient history, modern Greece also offers much to help understand Europe. The country has given birth to fascinating personalities. Giannis Boutaris is one of them. Initially, I bought the book to learn more about his life as a politician, because as the mayor of the city from 20211-2019, he has shaped Thessaloniki like no one else over the last decades. Thessaloniki is the second-largest city in Greece. Its ancient, Christian, Muslim and Sephardi legacy has been widely buried or destroyed by Nazi occupation and WW2, and later by the need for housing with a more than dynamic urbanism of the second half of the 20th century. Boutaris was able to give the city a modern take on urban community building by shifting its cultural infrastructure, even amid strong opposition from far-right hardliners. In 2012, he was chosen as ‘the best mayor of the world’ by the City Mayors Foundation, based in the UK. But the book is more than that: it offers a fascinating view of modern Greece’s wine culture, thanks to his lifelong dedication to improving Greek wines as the businessman behind the Kir-Yianni Wine company.
As a matter of fact, the book is not translated into other languages and is only available in Greek. For everyone who knows Greek, this book is a must, as it gives first-hand insights into modern Greek society and the great potential of this country, and shows how craftsmanship has the power to move mountains. If you are not fluent in Greek, take the opportunity to learn more about Giannis Boutaris and his inspiring legacy via other sources, such as here and here.
About:
- Author: Giannis Boutaris, Maria Marikaki
- Title: Εξήντα χρόνια τρύγος… (60 years of vintage…)
- Publication Date: November 2020
- Binding: Softcover
- Publisher: Ekdoseis Pataki
- Number of Pages: 368
- Language: Greek
- Price: 16,30€
- Memoirs
Leave a Reply