Hlias Dimitrakopoulos was one of the most fascinating figures in the political history of the 20th century. However, to this day, strangely enough, he remains overlooked, even though his life resembles an adventurous epic novel…
As a young teenager in occupied Athens, he became involved in the heroic resistance against the Nazis, resulting in his imprisonment and torture. He became an investigative journalist, covering the turbulent political life of Greece and the growing influence of America in the region. Clever and a seeker of exclusive news, Hlias soon gained access to powerful figures in both governments, but also many enemies.
When the military dictatorship was established in Greece in 1967, Hlias fled to Washington, where he led the struggle for the restoration of democracy in his homeland, coming into conflict with the American government as well. After a decade of research, James H. Barron reveals the story of a man whose tireless pursuit of uncomfortable truths brought him into conflict not only with his homeland's government but also with those of Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan, making him a target of surveillance and harassment by the CIA, FBI, and State Department.
An exhilarating biographical narrative, spanning from World War II to the Cold War and Watergate, the book The Key Man recounts a life devoted to defending democracy and press freedom against various powerful interests and has much to teach us about the abuses of power in our time, dark money, journalism intimidation, and foreign interference in elections.
