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Hydra Chronicles - The Writers of Hydra Island

Hydra attracts writers who appreciate its creative pedigree, atmosphere and charm of Hydra Island, Greece, established from the 1930s. Today's writers follow in the footsteps of literary greats such as George Katsimbalis , the poet/diplomat Giorgos Seferis  who was a founding member of The Generation of the '30s (1930's). Novelists Henry Miller , Lawrence Durrell & travel writer Patrick Leigh Fermor who stayed with artist Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas (1940-50s). And in the 1960s, novelists, Axel Jensen George Johnston & journalist/writer Charmian Clift (1960s).


While living and writing on Hydra (1960-67), Leonard Cohen published one book of poetry, two novels and started to write the song 'Bird On A Wire'. He wrote much material for his songs during this period but none of it was recorded until after he left the island.

"To recount the exploits of the men of Hydra would be to write a book about a race of madmen; it would mean writing the word DARING across the firmament in letters of fire."

 Henry Miller, Colossos of Maroussi

Today's Writers

Authors who live on the island either full-time or part-time and regularly come to work on their latest manuscripts, inspired by the island's atmosphere of creativity and lack of modern distractions, include:
Christos Daskalakis Writer on Hydra Island Greece

Christos Daskalakis

Greek Children's Books
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Writer Polly Samson on Hydra Island Greece.

Polly Samson

English Novelist & Lyricist

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Clémence de Biéville French writer who works regularly on Hydra Island Greece.

Clémence de Biéville

French Novelist & Scriptwriter
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Writer Alison Leslie Gold who regularly works on Hydra Island Greece.

Alison Leslie Gold

American Novelist
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Panos Koronakis Greek writer who works regularly on Hydra Island Greece.

Panos Koronakis

Greek Children's Books
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Don Lowe, writer who works on Hydra Island Greece.

Don Lowe

Hydra Writer

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Books featuring Hydra Island

Book cover of When We Were Almost Young by Helle V. Goldman with link from HydraDirect to Amazon.

Half The Perfect World

2018
Book cover for Fragments of a Dream by Ruth Larrea with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

Fragments of a Dream

2018
Book cover of Hydra: An Island And Its Architecture by Michael Loudon with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

HYDRA: An Island And Its Architecture

2018
Book cover of The Water And The Wine, written  by Tamar Hodes with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

The Water And The Wine

2018
Book cover of When We Were Almost Young by Helle V. Goldman with link from HydraDirect to Amazon.

When We Were Almost Young

2018
Book cover for Beautiful Animals by Lawrence Osborne with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

Beautiful Animals

2017
Book cover for Lost and Found by Alison Leslie Gold with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

Lost And Found

2017
Book cover of So Long Marianne: A Love Story, written  by Kari Hesthamar with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

So Long Marianne

2017
Book cover of ΡΟΥΛΗΣ Ο ΥΔΡΑΙΟΣ ΝΑΝΟΣ ΓΑΙΔΑΡΟΥΛΗΣ by ΚΟΡΩΝΑΚΗΣ ΑΚΗΣ ΚΟΡΩΝΑΚΗΣ ΠΑΝΟΣ with link from HydraDirect to Ianos Books

ΡΟΥΛΗΣ Ο ΥΔΡΑΙΟΣ ΝΑΝΟΣ ΓΑΙΔΑΡΟΥΛΗΣ

2016
Book cover of Hydra: Vues Privees by Catherine Panchout with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

Hydra : Vues Privées

Catherine Panchout
2015
Book cover for Island of Cats: Hydra by Gabriela Staebler with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

Island of Cats: Hydra

2015
Book cover of Travels With Epicurus, written  by Daniel Klein with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

Travels With Epicurus

2015
Book cover of Rhubarb by David Fagan with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

Rhubarb!

2003/2013
Book cover for The Broken Book by Susan Johnson with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

The Broken Book

2005
Book cover of Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winterson with link from HydraDirect to Amazon.

Lighthousekeeping

2004
Book cover of Jim & I: Jim Morrison & Other Friends by Michael Lawrence with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

Jim & I

2003
Book cover for Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

Fugitive Pieces

1996
Book cover of The Riders by Tim Winton with link from HydraDirect to Amazon.

The Riders

1994
Book cover of Rien Ne Va Plus by Margarita Karapanou with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

Rien Ne Va Plus

1994
Cover Hydra, written  by Catherine Vanderpool with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

Hydra

Catherine-Vanderpool
1980
Book cover for Clean Straw For Nothing by George Johnston with link from HydraDirect to Wikipedia

Clean Straw For Nothing

1969
Cover of A Rope of Vines by Brenda Chamberlain with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

A Rope of Vines

1965
One version of the book cover for Peel Me A Lotus by Charmian Clift

Peel Me A Lotus

1959
Book cover of The Sea Change by Elizabeth Jane Howard with link from HydraDirect to Amazon.

The Sea Change

1959
The Colossus of Maroussi by Henry Miller written on Hydra Island Greece.

The Colossus of Maroussi

1941

By Leonard Cohen

A photograph of Leonard Cohen from the 1966 University of Alberta yearbook. ( Kim Solez)

Leonard Cohen

Books published during the time he lived full-time on Hydra
(1960-1967)
Leonard's Hydra Connection
Book cover for Flower For Hitler by Leonard Cohen published when he was living on Hydra Island Greece with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

Flowers For Hitler

Poems
1964
Book cover of The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen written during the time he lived on Hydra Island Greece with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

The Favourite Game

Novel
1963
Cover of Beautiful Losers, written by Leonard Cohen when he lived on the Greek Island of Hydra with link from HydraDirect to Amazon

Beautiful Losers

Novel
1966

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