DIMOU, NIKOS


DIMOU, NIKOS

Born 1935, Athens, Greece. Graduated from Athens College, (a Greek-American school) 1954.

Parallel studies in Athens of French language and literature. 1954-1960 studied Philosophy (major), Psychology and English Literature (minors), in Munich, Germany (Munich University). Published his doctor's thesis (on philosophical scepticism) in Greece, 25 years later.

1960-1963 he served in the Greek Navy. In quest of a job he ended up in advertising - as a copywriter. 1965 he founded his own agency. After ten years it was one of the top five. It became well known not only for its marketing successes but also for its social and goodwill campaigns (like the "DD Library" and the "Remember Cyprus" sticker). In 1983 Nikos Dimou sold his agency and since then works as a free lance writer.

He published his first book (poetry) in 1953. There are now fifty three titles of his, most still in print. Essays, short prose, satire, philosophy, poetry, and political theory. Although he never wrote a novel, his books have sold well - they have been reprinted many times. Some have become best sellers. Especially his collection of aphorisms: «On the Unhappiness of being Greek» (38 printings). His latest books include an anthology from his work "50 years Nikos Dimou", his full autobiography "My Ways" ("Oi Dromoi mou") and a selection from his essays and political writings "Exercises in Freedom" ("Askiseis Eleftherias").

Although he thinks his most important task is writing books, he has also worked in the media for over forty years. He was a columnist for the Sunday editions of leading Greek dailies («To Vima», «Kathimerini», «Eleutherotypia», «Ethnos») and magazines. He was also the first Greek writer to host television talk-shows on literary and ideological issues ("Dialogues" 1987, "Adventures in Ideas" 1992). He also created radio programmes. He has received two journalism awards: the Ipectsi (for Greek-Turkish friendship) and the Botsis. In 2008 he was elected “Journalist of the Year”. For his overall literary and philosophical work he has also received the "Mitropoulos" medal. Because of his non conformist attitude, he has had to resign 11 times from main media.

He is quadrilingual (Greek, English, French, German) and has published translations of poetry and prose from all these languages - plus Latin and Ancient Greek. His evergreen best-seller "On the Unhappiness of being Greek" has been translated into many languages (German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Bulgarian, Polish, Turkish and Chinese) and is selling very well all over the world. A new book of his ("The Germans are to blame for everything")  has been published in Germany in 2014. He is a notorious lover of cats and independence.

His hobbies are computers (a dedicated Net Surfer for 25 years), motoring and photography. He was the first Greek writer to create a personal site in 1997 (www.ndimou.gr). In 2006 he opened two blogs (nikosdimou.blogspot.com and doncat.blogspot.com, with considerable success - 90.000 comments in the first year). One of these blogs continues as a olumn in a Sunday paper. He has published two books of photographs and has had three exhibitions. He has held regular monthly columns in the leading Greek car, computer and photography magazines.

 More about author: 
First name:  NIKOS
Last name:  DIMOU
Projects: 

Poetry
1. Imeroi (Desires) 1953
2. 23 Poemata (23 Poems) 1965
3. Apousies (Absences) 1973
4. Poiemata 74-76 (Poems 74-76) 1976
5. To Vivlio ton Gaton (The Book of Cats) 1977, 4th printing
6. Poiemata 1950-80 (Poems 1950-80) including 1-4
7. Skoteinos Thalamos (Darkroom) 1983
8. Poiemata 1950-90 (Poems 1950-90) including 1-4, 8, plus unpublished material
9. Satires 1972-1992, 1993

Philosophy
10. Skepseis gia mia Philosophia tis Epikoinonias (Thoughts towards a Philosophy of Communication) 1973
11. Prolegomena se mia Philosophia tis Epikoinonias (Prolegomena to a Philosophy of Communication) 1974
12. Dromos tis Epikoinonias (The Way of Communication) 1975, 5th printing (includes 10 and 11)
13. Skepseis gia tin Anangaiotita tis Agapis (Thoughts about the Necessity of Love) 1974, 6th printing
14. Enxeiridion Eleutherias (A Manual of Freedom), 1977, 5th printing
15. To Apolyto kai to Tavli (Backgammon and the Absolute) 1984, 5th printing
16. Ellinas Voudas (The Greek Buddha) 1984 3rd printing
17. Triptycho (includes 12,13,14) 2002 2nd printing

Prose
18. Par'ola Afta (Nevetheless) 1981, 3rd printing
19. Mikra Vimata (Short Steps) 1986, 2nd printing
20. Imerologio tou Kafsona (Diary of the Heat Wave) 1988, 3rd printing
21. Tolmires Istories (Bold Stories) 1989, 3rd printing
22. Odos Michail Voda (Michail Voda street) 1993
23. Apo tin Michail Voda stin Syrou (From Michail Voda to Syrou Street) 1994 2nd printing, autobiography vol. 1. (Includes No 21)
24. Apo tin odo Rinou stin Hess Strasse (From Rhein to Hess Strasse) 1997, autobiography vol. 2
25. Odos Galinis (Galinis Street) autobiography vol. 3 2nd pr.
26. Oi Dromoi mou (My Ways) 2004, final autobiography (includes Nos 23, 24, 25 plus a fourth volume "Odos Paraschou")

Essays
27. Prosegiseis (Approaches) 1979, 4th pr.
28. George Orwell, 1984, 1984
29. Eros Kalou (Love of Beauty) 1987
30. Kiki Dimoula, 1991
31. Dokimia 1: Odysseas Elytis (Essays 1: Odysseus Elytis) 1992, 2nd pr.
32. Dokimia 2: Ta Prosopa tis Poiesis (Essays 2: The Faces of Poetry) 1993 (includes 25 and 27)
33. I Teleia Diadromi (The Perfect Drive) 1996, 3rd pr.
34. Dokimia III: Apo tin Pornographia sta Comics (Essays 3: From Pornography to Comics) 2001

Studies and Commentaries
35. H Koini Gnomi ston Xoro tis Politeias (Public Opinion and the State) 1962
36. Nikodimou Efimistou Apanta (The Works of Nikodemus, the Euphemist) 1972 4th pr.
37. Themata Epikoinonias (Studies in Communication) 1972 2nd pr. (incl. No 32.)
38. I Dystihia tou na Eisai Ellinas (The Misery of Being Greek) 1975 22nd pr.
39. Koinotopies (Platitudes) 1978, 3rd pr.
40. Oi Neoi Ellines (The New Greeks ) 1980, 8th pr.
41. Ki eseis Diafimistis, Johann Sebastian (You too in Advertising, Johann Sebastian?) 1981, n.a.
42. Parakmi kai Ptosi tis N.D. (Decline and Fall of the New Democracy) 1982, n.a.
43. I Xora tou Edo kai Tora (The Land of Here and Now) 1983 5th pr., n.a.
44. I Xameni Taxi (The Lost Class) 1985 5th pr.
45. Meta ton Marx (After Marx) 1987, 4th pr.
46. I Koutsokostaina (The "Koutsokostaina") 1988, 4th pr.
47. Listes (Lists) 1991, 2nd pr.
48. Kathimerina Kyriakatika (Everyday Sundays) 1995
49. Anamasimata (Ruminations), 1996
50. Apologia enos Anthellina (Apology of an Anti-Hellene) 1997, 5th pr.
51. Psifiaki Zoi (Digital Life) 1999
52. Maza I Koino (Mass or Public - a reprint of 34) 2000
53. O Kathreftis (The Mirror - theatrical libretto) 2002
54. Eironiko Neoelliniko Lexiko (Greek Ironical Dictionary - incl. 48) 2002, 6th pr.
55. 50 Xronia Nikos Dimou, (50 Years N. D.) an anthology, 2003
56. Askiseis Eleftherias (Exercises in Freedom) 2006

Photography
57. To Fos ton Ellinon (The Light of the Greeks) 1984, 2nd pr.
58. To Neo Vivlio ton Gaton (The New Book of Cats) 1986
59. I Kryfi Zoi ton Aston (The Secret Life of the Bourgeoisie) 1992, ed.

Translations
60. Xena Poiemata (Foreign Poems) 1982
61. Oi Fones tou Marrakesh (The Voices of Marrakesh) by Elias Kanetti, 1983, 2nd pr.
      
n. a.: not available - out of print


Address: 

Paraschou 3
154 52 Palaio Psychiko


Date of birth:  1935
Birth place:  Athens
E-mail:  sextus@ndimou.gr
Website:  http://www.ndimou.gr