A Greek grandfather born a citizen of the Ottoman Empire who became an Italian national provides the starting point for this book, which, by focusing on the real story of a family against a background of historical events, shows how what the author calls the `minotaurs of fear and greed can be overcome and the pseudo-theories of many a pundit of so-called international relations can be demolished. It is not every day that the son of a Cumbrian who fought in the Great War meets the daughter of his Ottoman enemy, following the next war, and then marries her. The authors grandfathers were on opposing sides in the Great War, one with the British at Gallipoli, the other in the Ottoman Army; in the next war, his father and uncle were on opposing sides to his aunts husband. His aunt was thrice a refugee, from Ottoman Turkey, Italian Rhodes, and then again from modern Turkey. This forms the rich backcloth to this historical account of the family vicissitudes engendered by the behaviour of Greeces controversial Eleftherios Venizelos and Turkeys bombastic Kemal Ataturk. Written and spoken accounts by family members and diplomatic documents are skilfully woven into a rich tapestry of that geohistorical toilet, the Eastern Mediterranean. The book brings to life some vital aspects of modern European history, ending with a trenchant critique of Greece and Turkey today, warts and all.

About the Author

William Mallinson, Professor of Political Ideas and Institutions at Universita Guglielmo Marconi, is a former Member of Her Majestys Diplomatic Service who left to study for, and was awarded, his PhD at the London School of Economics and Political Sciences Department of International History. Following a period in business as European Public Affairs Manager at ITTs European Headquarters in Brussels, he turned his attention to the academic world, playing a pivotal role in introducing Britains first Honours degree in Public Relations. Since 1994, when he was awarded a Greek Government scholarship, he has been perusing British Foreign Office, Ministry of Defence, Prime Ministers Office and Cabinet archives, under the general rubric of Anglo-Greek relations during the Cold War. He has also published several articles in the press, and spoken at numerous conferences. He is an occasional lecturer at the Greek National Defence School, particularly on Britain and Russia/ USSR. He speaks, reads and writes French, German, Italian, Dutch, and Greek. His publications include Public Lies and Private Truths (1996; 2000); Portrait of an Ambassador (1998); Cyprus: A Modern History (2005); From Neutrality to Commitment: Dutch Foreign Policy, NATO and European Integration (2010); Britain and Cyprus: Key Themes and Documents since World War Two (2011); and The FCO, Hegemonolingualism, and the End of Britains Freedom (2014).