[MGSA-L] New Publication: The Publishing History of Hestia Publishers

[Sotiris Roussos]

*Just Published!*

Anna Karakatsouli

*Στη χώρα των βιβλίων*

*Η εκδοτική ιστορία του Βιβλιοπωλείου της Εστίας, 1885-2010*

[*In the Land of Books.** **The Publishing History of Hestia Publishers,
1885-2010*]**

Introduction: Nasos Vayenas

17x24 cm, 370 pages / ISBN 978-960-99681-6-4

Hestia Publishers & Booksellers is the oldest Greek publishing house
operating without interruption for more than 125 years. Established in
Athens in 1885 by Georgios Kasdonis, publisher of the literary journal of
the same name, Hestia commenced operations at a time when the
printer-publisher of the 19th century began to be replaced by the
bookseller-publisher of the 20th century. Originally specializing in
educational textbooks which provided the business with a strong economic
base, Hestia transformed its operations over time to include high-quality,
Modern Greek literature. The first step to this direction was taken in 1927
when Ioannis Kollaros, Kasdonis’ nephew and successor, founded *Nea Hestia*,
a major literary journal under the direction of Grigorios Xenopoulos. The
moment of crisis for Hestia occurred in 1937, when the dictatorship of
Ioannis Metaxas decided to establish the Organization for Publication of
School Textbooks, thus monopolizing a sector once so profitable for the
company. During Nazi Occupation the publishing house limited its activities
to the utmost but continued to support *Nea Hestia*, the only literary
journal that remained to be published thereby emerging as a national
intellectual expression of a high symbolic value.

In 1956, at Kollaros’ death, his son-in-law, Konstantinos Sarandopoulos,
took over the business.  Aware of the pressing need to establish an
editorial identity for Hestia beyond the school textbook sector,
Sarandopoulos had introduced in 1953 the “Neoelliniki Logotechnia” series.
This paperback series, published at a low cost in a small, uniform and
numbered format of 12 x 17, gathered the best writers of the era, namely
nearly all the famed authors of the “1930s generation”, including Elias
Venezis, Stratis Myrivilis, M. Karagatsis, Yorgos Theotokas and Angelos
Terzakis.  Hestia thus evolved into a brand symbolizing excellence and
intellectual distinction. The study also examines how during the
dictatorship years, under Marina Karaitidi’s direction, Sarandopoulos’
daughter, Hestia has been labeled as a centre-right positioned publisher
that stayed aloof from modern trends and political commitments. Today, Eva
Karaitidi, Marina’s daughter, represents the fifth generation of the
Kollaros family at the head of the company. The company’s production is now
equally divided between literature and social sciences. The actual economic
crisis however has hit hard the book sector in Greece and the future of
traditional, family-owned, medium sized publishing houses, like Hestia, is
uncertain.

The volume includes Tables, Bibliography and Index. The list of Hestia
publications since 1885 has been posted on the Internet (click
here<http://ekdoseisynadelfwn.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/hestia_catalogue.xls>
).


http://ekdoseisynadelfwn.wordpress.com •
syneditions at gmail.com<https://webmail02.uoa.gr/src/compose.php?send_to=syneditions@gmail.com>
-- 
*Οι Εκδόσεις των Συναδέλφων*
*The Colleagues' Publications*
*Les Éditions des Collègues*


-- 
Sotiris Roussos (M.A. Ph.D)
Associate Professor (Middle East & Eurasia),
Dept. of Political Science
& International Relations,
University of Peloponnese,
47, Dervenakion Str,
GR-20100, Corinth
Greece.
Tel. (office) +3027410 40049
Tel. (Dept. Sec.) +3027410 40040
Tel (mob). +306942 488185
Fax (Dept. Sec.) +3027410 40050
http://www.cemmis.edu.gr

.
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