The Modern Novel

Biography

Stratis Tsirkas was born in Cairo in 1911. He initially worked as an accountant in Egypt and started writing poetry. It was at this time he got to know Constantine Cavafy, about whom he would later write two books. He then became a factory director in Alexandria and became involved in left-wing politics. He initially published collections of short stories but, inspired by Nasser’s seizure of the Suez Canal, he wrote a novella called The Nureddin Bomb, which brought him to the attention of Greek readers. However, he is best known for his trilogy Ακυβέρνητες Πολιτείες (Drifting Cities), set in World War II, which led to his expulsion from the Communist Party. He had started work on another trilogy when he died in 1980.

Other links

‘Suffering and sweat and tears’: Stratis Tsirkas
Stratís Tsírkas (novel) French)