The Full Catastrophe

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A transporting, good-humored, and revealing account of Greece's dire troubles, reported from the mountain villages, idyllic islands, and hardscrabble streets that define the country today. In recent years, Greece, often associated with ancient philosophers and marble ruins, has faced a debt crisis leading to economic and social ruin, panic in international markets, and challenges to Europe’s project of closer union. The author makes sense of the contrasting images of Greece, a nation romanticized for its classical past yet criticized for its dysfunctional present. Through vivid, character-driven narratives and engaging reporting, he explores the causes of the financial collapse and the changes—some hopeful, others worrisome—emerging in its aftermath. A small rebellion against tax authorities erupts on a serene Aegean island, while a mayor from a northern village is gunned down by the municipal treasurer. An aging, leftist war hero seeks compensation from Germany for wartime occupation, and a once marginal group of neo-Nazis rises to political prominence in a ramshackle Athens neighborhood. This work transcends transient headlines, delivering an enduring portrait of modern Greece.