George Psychoundakis: A Letter to C. A. Trypanis.

Athens: The American College of Greece,, 1999. First and only edition, inscribed by the author on the verso of the front free endpaper, "David with love from Paddy [an illegible location] 8. VII. 1999", within characteristic sketches of clouds and seagulls. This is one of 940 copies printed in wrappers; a further 300 were bound in boards, and 10 specially bound for presentation. George Psychoundakis: A Letter to C. A. Trypanis prints the letter, written in English and Greek, that Leigh Fermor sent to the Greek classical scholar C. A. Trypanis in 1979, requesting recognition from the Academy of Athens for George Psychoundakis's Cretan translation of Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey. Psychoundakis (1920-2006) was a Cretan poet and fighter of the Greek Resistance who served as a despatch runner behind German lines for the Cretan Resistance and the SOE during the Second World War. In 1942 he met Patrick Leigh Fermor, who was one of the SOE officers parachuted onto Crete to organise the resistance. Psychoundakis worked for Fermor as his runner, delivering messages between resistance groups and other British liaison officers. Octavo. Original cream wrappers, titles to spine and front cover in red and black. Ends and corners lightly bumped, binding square and firm, covers a little dust soiled; a very good copy.