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When we hear the word ‘Mum’, the images and nostalgic scents that each of us associates with it can be more powerful than anything we have ever experienced before. A mother is something very special and unique to all of us. She accompanies us through every important moment of our lives, whether easy or difficult, and is there to support us without asking for anything in return.Although Mother’s Day has only been established in recent years, it gives each of us the perfect opportunity to recognise and remember, all year round, just how important her presence is in our lives.We have put together five book recommendations for Mother’s Day: Good Luck Here and Now – Matthew Quick, because readers will be able to meet the book’s protagonist, Bartholomew Neill, and read how he manages to take control of his life ―for the first time― after the loss of his mother, his sole protector until then. ‘When something bad happens to us, something good happens ―often to someone else. And that is Good Luck Here and Now. We must believe in it.”—Matthew QuickPublic Weather – Kiki DimoulaWhy? Because you will be reading one of the most iconic Greek texts of recent years. Kiki Dimoula, sarcastic, ironic, playful, self-deprecating, elliptical, surprising in her metaphors and bold in her similes, dares to use words of the day and even colloquial phrases, hurling them into metaphysical interpretations, unafraid of the familiar criticism for lexical acrobatics. ‘‘AND YET IT MOVES’: Rise, day. Wash yourself; your breakfast is ready, the world freshly served, just cut from the tree of sleep. Take its dream with you for your lunch. Save a little for dusk; you’ll be hungry and the shops will be closed. Just restrain your ostentatious, self-indulgent sprawl as much as you can. After all, you know that on the backside of a mountain, one puff of wind and you’re gone. Poems – George Seferis Because the new edition of Seferis’s poems is a priceless gift. Seferis’s readers, both older and younger, now have the opportunity to engage with his principal poetic output and appreciate the varied ramifications of his character, at times suggestive and at times unexpectedly playful (Nobel Prize 1963). The Monogram – Odysseas Elytis Because we have read it countless times and the thrill of the experience remains unchanged from one reading to the next. You will immediately realise how important it is to your life.Nora Webster – Colm TóibínBecause the tenderness and humanity, the pain of loss, everyday life with its joys and sorrows, the things we say and the things we hide, all combine to create an unforgettable reading experience. You will love the heroine, Nora Webster, like no other. Nora Webster lives in a small town and has taken on the care of her four children following the death of her husband, whilst trying to rebuild her life.

The first phase of voting for the Public Book Awards ‘Pens of the Year’ concluded with 132,457 votes, with readers highlighting their favourite books by choosing from eight different award categories.‘Apenanti’ by Thodoris Papaioannou and Irini Samartzi was voted by the reading public as one of the top 10 children’s books of the year!The second phase of voting has already begun and will run until 22 May. Let’s vote for the book “Apenanti” to reach the top of children’s literature: http://bit.ly/Apenanti2016

The 400th anniversary of the deaths of Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare provided the perfect occasion for Greece to celebrate World Book Day 2016 last Saturday, 23 April.The walk, which took place in central Athens from early on Saturday morning, featured 24 stops filled with books and brought readers closer to the authors of the books as well as to their ‘paper heroes’.Ikaros Publications celebrated World Book Day with an event at our historic bookshop, where authors, poets and illustrators who publish their books with us turned out in force. The event was honoured by a large crowd of people, readers young and old, who also wanted to celebrate this unique day of the book in their own way. In the morning, our young friends met and chatted with: Maria Angelidou, Myrto Delivoria, Christos Kourtoglou, Antonis Papatheodoulou, Alekos Papadatos and Irida Samartzi, whilst the luckiest ones even secured signed copies of their books!The event then continued with the presence of distinguished authors: Athanasios Alexandridis, Yannis Antiochos, Christos Giannaras, Kiki Dimoula, Aristos Doxiadis, Lelis Bey, Dimitris Nollas, Dimitris Oikonomou, Thanos Stathopoulos and Giorgos Psaltis. Seventy-three years after its foundation, Ikaros remains a vibrant organisation, a contemporary publishing house that collaborates with leading creators in their fields and constantly renews its readership.The grand celebration concluded with best wishes for World Book Day and for a society in which reading books will be an integral part of our daily lives.

‘Democracy’, the graphic novel by Alekos Papadatos, Avraam Kawa and Annie Di Donna, just a few days after receiving an award from the Greek Section of the IBBY – Greek Children’s Book Circle with the Award for Author of a Book for Adolescents and Young Adults, for teenagers and young adults, has won the awards for Best Script and Best Comic by Wacom at the 2016 Greek Comics Awards!The Greek Comics Awards, the only awards of their kind in the Greek comics scene, took place on 15 April in the auditorium of the French Institute and form part of the Comicdom Con Athens Festival. The event was hosted by stand-up comedian Byron Theodoropoulos, who entertained the audience and set the tone for the event.The graphic novel, released a few months ago, shows us how democracy was forged as much by chance and historical circumstances as by the actions and courage of resourceful people dedicated to their cause.“Democracy” is a superb example of the kind of comic we want to read again and again, a beautiful historical fairy tale, at a time when we need it most.” Nikos Giakoumelos, Smassing Culture