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• December 8, 2005 (Chicago IL): "Critical praise for Arcadia, My Arcadia" (Click here to read the GREEK STAR piece.)

• December 5, 2005 (Bannockburn, IL): The author was invited to present his novel and discuss creative writing techniques at Bannockburn School. His audience, both upperclassmen and faculty gave him an enthusiastic reception.

• October 22, 2005 (Winnetka, IL): Author Nicholas D. Kokonis did a book signing at North Shores popular Book Stall on Chestnut Court. Present were author Christopher Janus (Miss 4th of July, Goodbye) and professor William Graddy, who wrote a book review entitled "Kokonis Records Life Like Willa Cather" (Click here to read it).




Author Christopher (Xenopoulos) Janus Obviously struck by the theme and values of "Arcadia, My Arcadia," Mr. Janus remarked: "This story is a gold mine."


Professor William Graddy of Trinity International University.
"The deepest rewards of Arcadia, My Arcadia take shape only in reflection, as one begins to trace the larger contours that emerge in a text that has been sculpted with a skilled hand."

• October 3, 2005 (Athens, Greece): The author visited with Mr. Thanasis Valtinos, noted contemporary Greek author and president of Greek Cinema Center, to discuss potential funding for filming Arcadia My Arcadia.
  
  

• April 23, 2005, (Arlington Heights, IL): The author gave a book signing at Victorias Books. Pointing out what readers happily discover in Arcadia, My Arcadia, he said:  Arcadias cry speaks with a strong cultural voice but one that has a universal tone. Clear and vital, it sounds through every culture, inspiring tears of hope that are part of the eternal human condition. It is a story of the daily life of humankindand that is one of its many appeals to the reader. Arriving just before the event was over, a young mother with her two-year old daughter (seen in the photo below with the author) was very happy to obtain an autographed copy of the book for her father (Thank you! Thank you! I could not miss this one! My fathers story is similar! I wanted this as Fathers Day gift.)

• April 18, 2005 (Lincolnshire, IL): Psychologist-author, Dr. Kokonis presented Arcadia, My Arcadia, and briefly discussed the values embedded in the story, to the Senior Synaxis Group of the Ascension Greek Orthodox Church. Members of the St. Demetrios Church of Waukegan were also in attendance. The author talked about the values of faith, discipline and perseverance, the influence of education, the significance of tradition, the power of hope and the unlimited potential of the human being. He stressed that his story is not a typical commercial story. In these modern times, he stated, with the winds of change blowing fiercely, we are accustomed to reading about sex, drugs and violence, and about the rich, the greedy and the famous. But my book is of a different sort. The beauty and power of my story is the lack of these things. Arcadia, My Arcadia is remarkable because it stresses values. It is values that mark its character, the means by which the voiceless dreamers of the world can find their voice, and the oppressed and marginalized their place in the sun.
   

  Senior Synaxis book signing event

• April 17, 2005 (Racine, WI): Responding to an invitation from Rev. Joan Jacobson, Dr. Kokonis spoke to a group of faithful at the Messiah Lutheran Church. After a brief presentation of Arcadia, My Arcadia, the author talked about Family Values for the 21^st Century. The audience particularly enjoyed having Dr. Kokonis prescription about how to raise a delinquent child. (A copy of this material can be sent to the readers upon receipt of a SASE.)
   
• April 16, 2005 (Bannockburn, IL): Professor of English at Trinity University-International, Dr. William Graddy commented that Arcadia, My Arcadia is "a literary piece of writing whose style brings to mind such masterpieces as Willa Cathers My Antonia and O Pioneers." He informed the author that he likes his elegant writing very much and intends to review Arcadia, My Arcadia.
   
• April 09, 2005 (Bennington, VT): Bennington Banner published a review of Arcadia, My Arcadia. Penned by Sarah McKeever (Special to the Banner) and entitled Coming of Age Sweetly, it concluded: "Overall, Arcadia, My Arcadia is a wonderful and beautiful story, without any pretensions or falsehoods, but carrying you into a world very different from your own on the winds of Greece, and capturing the soul of a country, as well as your own, in the process."

• April 06, 2005: An outstanding journalist and a dedicated Arcadian by roots, Vicki Yiannias proclaimed: Arcadia, My Arcadia is pure gold, a terrific book, and one of a kind. She made public her plans to prepare a book review for ODYSSEY Magazine (most likely to appear in the summer issue).  

• April 02, 2005: Award-winning author, Linda Morelli (Fiery Surrender) commented: "Wonderful book." She is working on a review of Arcadia, My Arcadia.

• March 23, 2005: Author Patty Apostolides (Lipsis Daughter) informed Nicholas D. Kokonis of her intentions to post Arcadia, My Arcadia on her website of Greek-American authors.

• March 11, 2005: Venetta Avgeropoulos announced plans to carry Arcadia, My Arcadia on her www.Greekinternetmarket.com.
   
• March 06, 2005 (Chicago, IL): Dr. Kokonis was guest speaker at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral during its Annual Makaronada. He explained to his audience his reasons for writing Arcadia, My Arcadia: To pay homage to a legendary land and its people, he said. To honor the common men and women of the Greek countryside, our mothers and fathers, with whose benefits we lived on. Epitomizing the impact his story has on its readers, an elderly gentleman approached the author tearfully, saying: This story speaks to the heart. Thank you for writing it. Copies of Arcadia, My Arcadia  were donated to the church as prizes in the raffle. This book reading event was sponsored by the Ladies Philoptochos Club (with Ms. Fran Douros serving as chairperson of the event).
   

Highlights of the book signing

• February 27, 2005 (Chicago, IL): The author gave an invited book talk and signing at a cordial group of worshipers at St. George Greek Orthodox Church on the occasion of Apokreatiki Makaronada. Copies of Arcadia, My Arcadia were donated for raffle prizes drawn for the occasion. The event was organized by the local Ladies Philoptochos Club (with Mrs. A. Mitropulos serving as coordinator/chairperson).
   
• February, 2005 (New York, NY): ORTHODOX OBSERVER (the official organ of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America) carried a book review of Arcadia, My Arcadia by Mary Papoutsy who concluded: "Every Greek-American reader can recognize something of his own ancestors and relatives in this epic tale...For those of us whose lives were made immeasurable better by the enormous sacrifices of those determined and visionary pioneers, it is difficult sometimes to recognize the magnitude and frequency of the sacrifices made by these people. Arcadia, My Arcadia will help bring these sacrifices into sharp focus, offering us a clearer glimpse into the remarkable natures of our extraordinary ancestors."
   
• February 23, 2005: Odysseus Sotarkos (www.grecoreport.com) wrote to author Nicholas D. Kokonis: We must be thankful that there are Hellenes like yourself pou kratane Thermopyles in AmericaYour love for Arcadia is well justified. I have visited the region quite often and fell in love with its rugged, mountainous beauty. I was also impressed with the proud and hospitable people who live there. The ancients who wrote poetry and hymns about Arcadian harmony and pastoral simplicity have left us a legacy that continues to inspire us to this day.

• February 22, 2005: Author Nicholas Kokonis accepts invitation to have Arcadia, My Arcadia listed in www.greeceinprint.com.

• February 20, 2005: Arcadia, My Arcadia to be carried by www.greekshops.com.

• February 02, 2005, (NY): Hellenic Voice published article in which it declared: Arcadia, My Arcadia is a book that has been hailed by all who read it.

• February 01, 2005 (Chicago, IL): Responding to the gracious invitation from Olga Geocaris, President of International University Womens Club, author Nicholas D. Kokonis gave a book talk and autographed copies for the Clubs members.

• January 23, 2005 (Chicago, IL): The Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center of Chicago invited author Nicholas D. Kokonis to present his newly released novel Arcadia, My Arcadia, officially launching his book in the United States. The event was partially funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council and City Arts Program. Before a larger-than-usual audience (extra chairs were brought in to accommodate those in attendance), the author deeply acknowledged the distinct honor bestowed upon  him by the Greek-American Community and entertained his audience with a moving presentation, recounting the 1950s life in Arcadia and exulting the virtues of Hellenism. Honorable Vassiliki-Maria Grivitsopoulou (standing with author in the photo below) commented: With this work, Arcadia, My Arcadia, Dr. Nicholas Kokonis has officially entered the world of literature.

        Excerpts from Dr. Kokonis talk:

• I must admit, it is utterly gratifying to see Arcadia, My Arcadia consistently reviewed as a well-written story with enormous, fresh emotional power and astonishing details that evoke the smells, sights and sounds of eternal Greece. This is not a cerebral story cleverly conceived by someone who spent a summers visit to Greece to gather notes and write it. It is a story of the soul of Arcadia done from the heart and with the authenticity of lived experience. For I know Angelos Vlahos quite intimately, down to the missing hobnails of his only pair of shoes. He was my soul brother. The forces that drove him were mine too. They were the physical and emotional hungers, those two uninvited guests who had settled in our life as though they intended to stay forever

• How do individuals like Angelos Vlahos manage to survive, and even succeed, in a world of overwhelming odds? In Arcadia, My Arcadia readers have no difficulty discovering the answer: Because their families inculcate them with good values. My readers are struck by the powerful presence of the family in the story. Here the family is container of narrative, theater of character, agent of significance. Within its walls Angelos finds consolation. He finds refuge in which to lick his emotional wounds. From the family he learns love of work, discipline, endurance, faith and all those virtues that would ultimately enable him to defeat the Goliath of poverty and ignorance and redeem himself."

        The author explained the reasons for writing Arcadia, My Arcadia,  

        saying:

• I wrote this story in praise of the common men and women of the world. I wished to honor our ancestors who, no matter how literate they were, exemplified living values for us. I have always wanted to write a story that expressed love and concern for the low-born and the poor, the pushed around, and the scorned and those condemned to unschooled toil. I wanted to render tribute to these common men and women, our parents and grandparents, and raise us like holy banners and venerate their images.

• I dont know about other people, but every time I look at the iconostasis of a church, any church, I see next to the icon of St. John the Forerunner, a special big icon with images like those Dominikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco) painted. Among them I make out the faces of my mother and father, and the faces of the mothers and fathers of the boys and girls in the village where I grew, and the faces of the mothers and fathers of every country boy and girl of my generation. On their lean, sun-burned elongated faces I discern sacrifice. From their deep-set dark eyes issues the pain of martyrdom. An unmistakable halo seems to bind them in faith. It is the icon of the Anonymous Martyrs. Our ancestors!

• Are there any more precious, more venerable images in the world for us, aside from the images of our churchs canonized saints? Didnt they fight the good fight? Didnt they finish the race? Didnt they keep the faith? Doesnt a merited crown await them? Content that we have been blessed to cross the Red Sea of poverty and enjoy the comforts and conveniences of the Promised Land, should we forget these martyrs, these forerunners who paved the way for us? There are no monuments or statues dedicated to them, yet they were heroes with brave hearts. With this story I wanted to shout to all these people, 'You are the salt of the earth. Arcadia, My Arcadia is my memorial to you.'