“First Love” by Ioannis Kondylakis opens the new series of Elia Publishing editions. The aim of the series is to highlight masterpieces of Greek literature from the late 19th to the mid-20th century, previously unknown to the international literary community. The edition contains the original text in the language of Ioannis Kondylakis, a blend of Cretan dialect and Katharevousa, a transcription into modern Greek, and an English translation.

It also includes a timeline of the international historical and political context of the era. The edition is complemented by maps with landmarks of the village and countryside where the story takes place, to guide the contemporary visitor. The series is intended for expatriates and cultural visitors. At the same time, the publication aims to shed light on forgotten “good practices” of circular and domestic economy, architectural structures, as well as the value system of the time.

“First Love” is not just a story about adolescent love; it is a journey into the human heart, memories, and the life of a place that still preserves its authenticity—a story that speaks to today with tenderness, warmth, and truth: an experience that does not deny its origin, its roots, but rather offers hope for their preservation.