Nikos Kazantzakis – Οι Νέοι Ροβινσώνες (The New Robinsons) – 1933 First Greek Edition
180.00€
Rare first Greek edition, translated and adapted by Nikos Kazantzakis
A scarce and attractive 1933 first Greek edition of Οι Νέοι Ροβινσώνες (The New Robinsons), based on the adventure literature of Captain Thomas Mayne Reid and translated/adapted into Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis (1883–1957).
Published in Athens by the renowned Eleftheroudakis publishing house, this volume represents an interesting and relatively lesser-known aspect of Kazantzakis’s early literary career: his work as a translator and adaptor of international literature.
Kazantzakis and the Work
Long before achieving international recognition for Zorba the Greek, The Last Temptation of Christ and his other major works, Kazantzakis was deeply involved in translating and adapting foreign literature for Greek readers.
The present edition, published in 1933, is therefore of particular interest to collectors seeking examples of his early literary activity.
The story itself belongs to the classic Robinsonade tradition, following a family stranded on a remote island after a shipwreck. The survivors must use ingenuity and cooperation to find food, build shelter, cultivate the land and establish a new existence.
Original Illustrated Binding
The book retains its attractive original illustrated publisher’s cloth binding, decorated with a colourful expedition scene featuring explorers, an ox-drawn wagon and adventure imagery.
The pictorial binding adds considerably to the visual appeal and collectible character of this interwar Greek publication.
Bibliographical Details
Author: Captain Thomas Mayne Reid Greek title:Οι Νέοι Ροβινσώνες English title:The New Robinsons Translator / Adapter: Nikos Kazantzakis Publisher: Eleftheroudakis Place: Athens, Greece Year: 1933 Edition: First Greek edition Language: Greek Pagination: 153 + 7 pages of publisher’s advertisements Dimensions: approximately 21 × 16 cm Binding: Original illustrated publisher’s cloth hardcover
Condition
Good overall vintage condition.
The original illustrated cloth binding remains attractive and substantially preserved. The binding is firm and the text block is complete.
The pages are generally clean, with expected age toning and signs of handling. Light wear to the boards, spine and corners is consistent with the age of the book.
Please examine the photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the description and condition report.
Collecting Interest
This is an appealing collectible for anyone interested in:
Nikos Kazantzakis
Early Kazantzakis translations and adaptations
Modern Greek literature
Greek children’s literature
Mayne Reid and adventure fiction
Robinsonade literature
Interwar Greek publishing
Eleftheroudakis editions
Illustrated Greek books
The combination of Kazantzakis’s early literary involvement, the 1933 first Greek edition and the original illustrated binding makes this a particularly interesting addition to a specialist collection of Greek literary history.
A scarce interwar Greek edition documenting an important and often overlooked chapter in the early career of one of Greece’s greatest modern writers.
