Mothers and sons
Mothers and sons —Modar och soner, by its original title in Swedish—is a biographical book written by the philosopher and author of Greek origin Theodor Kallifatides. The work was published by the Galaxia Gutenberg publishing house in 2020, thus bringing to physical life the family memories of the eternal emigrant that is this writer. Through his direct and nostalgic pen, Kallifatides talks about love, loyalty, experience and the smells that provoke his trips to Athens.
The return to the homeland from which he exiled himself in search of a dream has the most tender of purposes: to see his elderly mother again, who still has a lot of intelligence in her eyes, although her body seems increasingly more worn. Mothers and sons It is, therefore, a gift from the author to his mother, a loving letter to the past. and to the experiences with his father and his brothers, a refuge where those who have left still exist.
Synopsis of Mothers and sons
Seven days in Athens
Every year, Theodor Kallifatides travels from Stockholm to Athens to visit his mother and the rest of his family.. But this particular journey is very different, full of unique nuances that stir the feeling of writing to a key point in its existence. One of the reasons for this is that Antonia, his mother, had turned 92 by the time Kallifatides made his usual visit.
For some people, their mother or your father turns 92 is not an inflection. But for someone like this author, a human being who has lost so much, who has given up so much, that figure becomes a countdown that, when it comes to an end, will take away one of the central pieces of his existence, his mainstay. Cargo and his first love: Antonia, the woman who always seems to smell like lemon, and who can laugh or cry in equal measure and for the same situation.
The will of Dimitrios Kallifatides
In his youth, Antonia was a beautiful bride who married Dimitrios, a man much older than her. Taking into account that Theodor was already sixty-eight years old at the time of writing Mothers and sons, and that it was very likely that this was one of the last of their meetings. Both—the writer and his mother—came to the conclusion that it was necessary to break down the shared memories, especially the most important one: that of the figure of Kallifatides' father and Antonia's husband.
In 1972, when the philosopher's father was 92 years old —shortly before his death—, the last I beg you to the first to write a document where he exposed his most fantastic memories. Theodor had been out of Greece since 1964, and he feared that the family history would be lost to oblivion. For this reason, he urged Dimitrios to recreate on paper the anecdotes that he had related to the members of the Kallifatides clan, and that none of his secrets be kept.
The past is the only thing that belongs to us
This melancholic phrase could be capable of fully encompassing Theodor Kallifatides' story about his mother. He compares her with her true homeland, with her tree, with her earth and with her sky. The way in which the author describes Antonia is typical of the most absolute devotion. This love, at the same time, is complemented by the affection that the man feels towards his brothers, his father, his wife and his own children.
The reference to the past is not tacit, but marked and visible. En Mothers and sons there are narratives about how devastating World War II was, in which Dimitrios participated like so many others: unwillingly and unable to resist the battle imposed by powers beyond his control. But there are also stories about the infinite respect that the writer's father felt for teachers and teaching, a feeling that he would later inherit to his son.
the last refuge
Theodor Kallifatides' maternal residence is the main witness to the marvelous encounter between the author and his mother. In those four walls of unparalleled value, laughter, confessions, tears, silences and touching conversations are revealed.
During some scenes, the text becomes almost childish. This happens while the writer spreads Antonia's attention to him, her little one, her youngest son, whom she misses, even though he is in front of her, on her book.
The admiration that Theodor professes for Sweden is also notable., your host country. However, returning to Greece always reveals itself as a moment of grace, illuminated by evocations of childhood that are projected in streets, landscapes, people, smells, days of hunger and painful farewells, but also of joy and games.
Mothers and sons talk about primary links, and how they build human beings so that, in turn, they create other ties.
About the author, Theodor Kallifatides
Theodor Kallifatid
Theodor Kallifatides was born in 1938, in Molaoi, Lakonia, Greece. When he was eight years old, the author moved with his family to the city of Athens. Later, he had to move to Stockholm, Sweden, because of political conflicts. Already in his new location, he quickly learned the language, which allowed him to continue his studies. Kallifatides opted for the faculty of Philosophy at Stockholm University, where he ended up teaching after graduating.
In addition to his interest in thought, Theodor Kallifatides is passionate about myths, literature, music and cinema, tastes for art that, in 1969, he had the opportunity to express through his first book of poems. However, it was his debut work in the novel genre that propelled the author to international recognition. Throughout his career he has focused on writing about his homeland and his experiences as an immigrant.
Other works by Theodor Kallifatides
- Another life to live (2019);
- The siege of Troy (2020);
- The past is not a dream (2021);
- timandra (2022);
- love and homesickness (2022);
- A new country outside my window (2023)