Secrets of the Swamp

ix, 475 pp. "As the Macedonian Struggle intensifies in 1906, two Greek military officers arrive at the swamp at Lake Giannitsa to lead the Greek rebels. Captain Agras--"the ideal hero"--radiates energy and spirit; Captain Nikiphoros, in contrast, is more deliberate and reflective. Both are courageous and fearless--"united in their aims and dedication." A child and an adolescent dominate a plot resembling that of a spy story: Jovan, the "little Bulgarian," and Apostolis, "the best Greek guide west of the Axios River." ABOUT THE AUTHOR: "Penelope Delta (Greek: ???e??p? ???ta; 1874, Alexandria, Khedivate of Egypt – 2 May 1941, Athens) was a Greek author of teenage literature. Practically the first Greek children's books writer, her historical novels have been widely read and influenced Greek popular perceptions on national identity and history. Through her long-time association with Ion Dragoumis, Delta was thrust in the middle of the turbulent early 20th-century Greek politics, from the Macedonian Struggle to the National Schism. She committed suicide on the day German troops entered Athens in World War II."