Summary of ZÂ
“Z” is a non-fiction political thriller that chronicles the assassination of Greek progressive politician Grigoris Lambrakis by right-wing extremists in Thessaloniki in 1963. His murder sparked widespread protests across Greece, and the ensuing court investigation uncovered links between the perpetrators and high-ranking officials within Greek politics, the police, and the military. The title of the novel refers to the first letter of the Greek word “Ζει” (“Zi”, meaning “He lives!”) which was graffitied on walls throughout Greece in the 1960s.
Reasons to read Z
“Z” is a crime story and political documentary, based on real events. The novel exposes the corruption and the connections between Greek state institutions and organised crime. Vassilis Vassilikos was a Greek author, diplomat, and politician. His novel “Z” is his best-known work and was translated into 32 languages. The novel was banned by the Greek Colonels’ regime, the year after its publication. Grigoris Lambrakis remains a symbol of democracy in Greece, with numerous streets and squares named in his honour. The novel was adapted into a movie by Costa-Gavras in 1969, featuring music by Mikis Theodorakis, a friend of Lambrakis. The film won the Oscar for best foreign language film and the Palme d’Or. In 2017, Vassilis Vassilikos received the Grand Prize for Literature from the Greek Ministry of Culture.
Setting: Athens & Thessaloniki (Greece)
Original title: Z
Year of publication: 1966
Nr of pages: 416
