Late Hybrids

Late Hybrids, in these twenty short stories, explores the second and third generations of Greek Australians who, while possessing a strong sense of their Greek identity and traditions, often find themselves at odds with the modern Australian world. These stories delve into the cultural differences between Greeks and Australians and examine the distinctive psyche of Greek Australians as they confront issues of life, love, death, and duty to one's past.

Among the characters are a Grexit exile investment banker, a Golden Fleece, a Sentimental Wog, and two murderers. As in Nikos Athanasou's earlier work, Hybrids, these stories resonate with all who feel caught between two cultures.

'This new collection of short stories by Nikos Athanasou vocalises an anatomy of the new identities that emerged in the Greek-Australian experience after their long settlement in the fifth continent. The writer, with a serene and detached gaze, reconstructs the emotional atmosphere of this transition with profound empathy and affection through snapshots of magic realism, transforming the actual and the realistic into a fantastic landscape of marvellous and expressionistic vignettes.' - Vrasidas Karalis, Sir Nicholas Laurantus Professor of Modern Greek, Chair of Modern Greek Department

'A rich gallery of characters, so nice and normal, at least they seem to be, but they are emotional icebergs. What we see on the surface is nothing compared to what's going on below.' - Lex Marinos, actor, awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to the performing arts