Το καπλάνι της βιτρίνας is a classic autobiographical novel by Alki Zei, a much-awarded Greek novelist. First published in 1963, while the author was in exile as a political refugee in Moscow, Το καπλάνι της βιτρίνας was translated in over 30 languages and is internationally acclaimed as a classic.
The story is set on an island in Greece during the 1930’s as the nation is forced into a fascist dictatorship. It is told through the eyes of a young girl named Melia, who relates the experiences of her family as they are forced to accept life under a repressive government. The book provides an interesting look at an important period of Greek history and tells it from a child’s unsophisticated perspective. The naturalness and liveliness of the dialogue is combined with the seriousness and depth of the meaning. In a playful atmosphere, the reader is aware of and enjoys a mature thought that deals with and analyses social visions while trying to discover the threads that move them. The value of the book consists in precisely this combination. One of its virtues and what makes it universal is that the narration, although set in Greece at a particular period of time, seems somehow space-less and timeless.

Lessons take place every other week. The course dates are: 22 April, 6 & 20 May, 3 & 17 June, 1 July.