Nikos A. Kokantzis

Nikos A. Kokantzis (1927-2009) was born in Thessaloniki. He studied medicine at Aristotle University and specialized in psychiatry in London, where he lived for several years. "Gioconda" was first published in 1975 by Kedros Publishers. It was adapted into a 13-episode series by ERA's First Program, featuring Pemy Zouni and Giannis Fertis. "Gioconda," the true story of a first love between two fifteen-year-olds in wartime Thessaloniki, intertwined with the annihilation of the city's Jewish community, has been translated into French, English, Italian, German, Catalan, Hebrew, Dutch, and Turkish. In January 2005, it was re-released by Patakis Publishers, alongside a collection of short stories titled "Nine Stories and a Libretto" and the poetry collection "Quartet" (March 2005). Nikos Kokantzis' short stories were published in "To Vima," "Anti," and "Parafyada" (a literary magazine in Thessaloniki). He passed away in Thessaloniki on July 25, 2009.