Giannetakis was a peculiar case. From the beginning to the end of his political activity, he remained integrated yet significantly autonomous within his political sphere. Although he held the positions of Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, leaving a clear imprint on the evolution of Greek politics on many levels, he was not the leader of a party, small or large, defined in public consciousness as one of the leaders who decisively shape the country’s course.

Even though he was a member of a family with a remarkable tradition and significant participation in Greek history, he was a person of low profile and particular modesty, without seeking the media spotlight that would make him a "symbol" and thus an attractive object of study.

Moreover, Giannetakis was simultaneously a man of spirit and culture, who dealt with difficult issues even before entering politics, motivated by a fundamental need for consistency between intellectual searching and action, always seeking to promote the cultural face of Greece with awareness, modesty, and calmness, in a natural, effortless, and therefore convincing manner.

In a way, he carefully and systematically avoids the excesses that undermine the intellectual tradition of the place. Thus, in many respects, he was a unique case, and as such is studied in the present work. We are aware that we are valuing the exception, not the rule, but we are also convinced that this creativity, this self-awareness, does not only pertain to Gianni Giannetakis, because, through him, he represents many people of this country.

From the introduction by Angelos Delivorrias and Evantis Hatzivasiliou

The authors of the volume:

• MARO KARDAMITSI-ADAMI Emerita Professor, Department of Architects, School of Architecture, National Technical University of Athens
• IOANNIS GIANNIDIS Professor, Faculty of Law, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens – Lawyer
• ANGELOS DELIVORRIAS Former Director of Benaki Museum – Academic
• KOSTAS NIKOLOPOULOS CEO of Infrastructure Finance
• A. D. PAPAGIANIDIS Lawyer – Journalist
• GIANNIS SAITAS Architect – Urban Planner – Ethnologist
• TASOS SAKELLAROPOULOS Head of Historical Archives at the Benaki Museum
• EVANTHIS CHATZIVASILIOU Professor, Department of History and Archaeology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
• CHRYSOSTOMOS CHRISTIDIS Doctor of Modern History, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens