The Merchants of Nations

First published in 1882, this modern Greek classic is a vivid account of the passionate pursuit of love, conquest, and revenge. Set amid the collapsing world of the late Byzantine Empire, the novel describes how the lives of devout Aegean islanders are upended when they are caught in the wake of a ruthless medieval crusader. Peppered with irony and pathos, this tale of good versus evil is essential reading for anyone interested in Greek cultural identity or the history of Greece's place in Europe.