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Book Description
While lying on a beach in Greece with an accommodating female companion, the narrator of this novel, Petros Abatzoglou (also the name of the author), describes the peculiar life story and marriage of Mrs. Freeman. By turns digressive, tender, humorous, and pedantic, the narrator interrupts his monologue only when he wants something from his companion, usually another drink.
In relating the story of Mrs. Freeman—a fiercely independent woman—the narrator exemplifies almost all the characteristics of a self-centered male. Obsessed with food, alcohol, and the need to be the center of a woman's attention, he paints a mental picture of the elusive Mrs. Freeman, and his own vision of the ideal woman.
About the Author
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Petros Abatzoglou (1931-2004) grew up in Greece during the Nazi occupation, but traveled extensively in Europe and America during his 30s before returning. In addition to his writings for newspapers and the radio, he is the author of numerous short stories and several novels, including Death of a Salaried Man, Pavlos and Eleni, The Birth of Superman, and Balance of Terror, for which he received the Greek National Book Award in 1965. He also received the Greek National Book Award in 1988 for What Does Mrs. Freeman Want?, his first book to be translated into English. |
Praise
"What Does Mrs. Freeman Want? is a captivating book that inspires great emotions—of sadness, of humor, of hunger—in its readers." —Adonis Papadopoulos, author of Greeks and Sport"A masterpiece of contemporary Greek writing, Abatzoglou's novel is a fascinating character study of the desires both of Mrs. Freeman and the narrator."—Menis Kostas, author of The Harsh Fatherland

