FLASH
Shkruar nga Frrok Çupi
A lifetime, people who love Petimezas and his literature, are looking for one of his seven books. In the Peloponnese mountains, where his tomb is also, it is more likely that some copy has remained...
Since several years, journalists and associations of Greek journalists, as well as other researchers, have been searching for the books of the author Petimezas. In one of these expeditions I participated together with my colleagues from Greece, up in the villages of the Peloponnese. Petimezas was a famous journalist in Greece, with a strong personality, outstanding fighter against Nazism, who came out of the Second war as a man of mind and pen.
Petimezas has written many books; at least this is what is thought according to the testimonies of close friends and according to the titles that are mentioned. But libraries and archives do not have these books. Petimezas printed the books with 5 or 7 copies each; that is why books are not found today.
Why so few copies of each book?
Today, here at the Tirana Book Fair, trucks and wagons with books have arrived from the side. Even a 'writer' from a village far in the suburbs does not hesitate to publish his literary book with a few hundred copies - at least. So it's not about money. Even less, the Greek author Petimezas did not have "money problems" when he placed only 7 copies of a book. He came from the War as a high personality in the elite of Greece; he was offered the post of prime minister..., then foreign minister... He only accepted the post of director of the National Radio of Greece.
I'm not talking about ordinary writers who, being pushed to the door of the fair with a dozen almost worthless books, try to lay the first stone of identity through the book. No, Petimezas came from the highest peak to the book where knowledge and vast experience unfolded.
One day, the author of several books 'I velour' with that life he had compressed into millions of letters, left the last book in two copies for his two daughters, and at the same time wrote a piece of paper: "I got tired of waiting for death ". That was it.
But why only 5 or 7 copies of a book?
A copy for the friend who went earlier; two copies for the two daughters; one for his wife, one copy for himself and others depending on how many friends he had. Once he had three friends and he had to print 7 copies; but he could only have one friend and then make 5 copies in total.
A lifetime, people who love Petimezas and his literature, are looking for one of his seven books. In the Peloponnese mountains, where his tomb is also, it is more likely that some copy remains. Petimeza's philosophy on literature and journalism seems to roam the mountains even today. It is the very philosophy of value: If people need the book, let them seek it and find it. Yes, they didn't find it, so what!, there are plenty of books 'as good and better than mine'. Even if you were looking for a strong identity or integrity like Petimezas, you have to look for it, even sweat through the mountains and hills so that life can bring you forward.
This was his philosophy that he lives by now.
I have seen Ismail Kadare at past Fairs of Tirana, standing next to his book stand, like an ordinary man. Even the 'powerful authors' who come with luxury cars, with screens, with radios, I told you, they caught the eye. The way was opened for them; Kadare was somewhere almost invisible. This year is the first year that Kadare is not among us, and this is a great loss. The Book Festival itself might not have opened at all this year; that would be good. In honor of Ismail Kadare. Fairs come as endlessly as there are endless vain people, untalented authors, abusive, miscreants... But Kadare doesn't come.
Petimezas, it seems, had sensed this. He decided that if it wasn't him, his book wouldn't be either through the vulgarity of Fairs./ Pamphlet
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