Book Title: Appointment with Yesterday: A Novel in Four Parts with a Prologue and an Epilogue
Author: Christopher Stratakis
Category: Adult Fiction, 334 pages
Genre: coming-of-age / WWII / immigrant experience
Publisher: IndieReader
Release date: January 2017
Tour dates: July 3 to 14, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (There is no bad language or violence, but there are references to sex and sexual situations (including between a pre-teen and teen)
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Description
A poignant and compelling first novel, Appointment with Yesterday tells the story of Yanni, a cheeky and delightful Greek boy growing up in a small town on an island in the eastern Aegean.
Left in the care of his loving grandparents, Yanni endures the deprivation and terror of the German occupation during World War II and finally leaves his beloved homeland and family to rejoin the parents who had left him behind to make a better life for themselves in America.
Filled with heartbreaking and heartwarming stories of love, devotion, disenchantment, and dashed dreams, Appointment with Yesterday is, ultimately, the story of hardships overcome and a determined boy’s journey toward finding his destiny.
~ My Review
I chose to read this book after receiving a free e-copy. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
Appointment with Yesterday is about Yanni who grows up on a Greek island with his extended family. His parents went to America and left him on the island until they could make enough money to send for him and to give him a good life there. Although he misses his parents, his grandparents are loving and take good care of him. He finally does make it to America, after enduring German occupation during World War II and the hardships that went with that. But, of course, he learns that coming to America has its own hardships. Living with his parents and sister is like living with strangers, New York is alien to him compared to the Greek island, and he has no friends. He does eventually thrive and proves that hardships can be overcome.
It was difficult for me to get into this story at first. It seemed a little disjointed and when Yanni was daydreaming, it was difficult to get through. I believe the author was trying to show the dreams as well as some of the boy’s memories, but it didn’t flow well. After the beginning, though, his writing flowed well. The descriptions were done well and I was able to visualize the characters and their surroundings.
Appointment with Yesterday is an interesting book filled with the author’s memories as well as historical events and the challenges of immigrants.
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Meet the Author
Christopher Stratakis was born and raised in Greece. After moving to America, he graduated from Drexel University in 1951 and New York University School of Law in 1955. Shortly after joining the law firm of Poles, Tublin & Patestides in 1960, he became a partner, specializing in admiralty and corporate law.
He has written and published several articles, lectured on professional and historical subjects, served as Legal Advisor to several non-profits (pro bono), and was an arbitrator in maritime disputes. He is the author of Mnimes “Memories” (2010), a book of essays, short stories, and poems that he wrote as a teenager. In 2015, he co-edited Chains on Parallel Roads, a book published by Panchiaki “Korais” Society of New York. In recognition of his extensive community involvement, he has been the recipient of several awards from religious, governmental, and educational institutions.
Mr. Stratakis lives with his wife in New York City. He is the proud father of three and grandfather of three. This is his first novel.
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