My Arcadia Books

Out of Arcadia: The American Odyssey of Angelo Vlahos

    “…a book to celebrate.”—Rolf A. Weil, President Emeritus, Roosevelt University 

Precis

With his father invalid after falling off the family donkey and his mother so afflicted by arthritis that that she can hardly sell her flower and vegetable seeds in order to feed the family, Angelo Vlahos leaves his tiny village in rock-strewn Arcadia and arrives in America on a forged bank certificate of deposit. With all his possessions in a bundle, thirty dollars in his pocket, and a registration at a phony technical institute in Chicago, Angelo forges with hope toward his two goals: to get a college education, while working, and to reunite with the love of his childhood, Antigone. But unforeseen obstacles throw him painfully off course and into a harrowing quandary. Faced with deportation and a crisis of the spirit in a world turned topsy-turvy, Angelo prays for his destitute family back home and hopes for a miracle.

Writing with the authenticity of lived experiences, author Nicholas D. Kokonis weaves a tale of faith and innocence, courage and determination that will captivate your compassion and enthusiasm for Angelo from the first page, as he takes us along on Angelo’s journey in a strange new land.

Critical Praises and Testimonials:

    “…a distinguished contribution to the literature of immigration.”—Shawn Rosenheim, Professor of English, Williams College

    “Kokonis is a natural born storyteller. His passion, ability to paint a scene and a time, empathy for character, understanding of complex social and political realities, and attention to detail are superb.”—Patricia Aakhus, Author of award-winning The Voyage of Mael Duin’s Curragh  

    “From the prologue to the final word, this is both a beautifully written and totally engrossing novel. Readers won’t want to let the book go until they finish it.”—Patrice Campbell Shaw, Journalist

    “Eloquently written, fascinating…an incredible piece of work. This heart-rending, inspiring, and wise roman à clef should be read by anyone who dares to dream.”—Sue Harrison, Author, Mother Earth Father Sky

    “The Greek voice has, for a long time, been absent from imaginative, fictional accounts of immigration. Through the story of Angelo, Kokonis helps us to imagine all those other lives built on hope, but hope always mixed with sadness of leaving our Arcadias behind.”—Aliki Varvogli, University of Dundee, Scotland

    “Angelo’s intellectual awakening is a path that so many brave immigrants still dare to dream to attain.”—Michelle Martorelli Steil, Northeastern Illinois University

    “It filled me with zeal for its literary excellence, its keen psychological insights, and its prophetic relevance. Characters are grafted with apparent talent. Simo, for instance, is characterized with brilliance worthy of Dickens at his best...Should be widely adopted in middle, high school and college classrooms.”—William Graddy, Professor Emeritus, Trinity International University

    “…an absorbing, compelling, and thoughtful novel.”—Tanya Pollard, Associate Professor, English, Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center, CUNY     

    “…an inspirational odyssey. It speaks not only to those who have been touched and shaped by migration but to everyone who has faced adversity, risen above it and, in the process, has been changed for the better.”—Neovi Karakatsanis, Chair, Political Science Department, University of Indiana at South Bend

    “Kokonis writes lyrically and unflinchingly about struggles for survival and dignity in a world of prejudice and inequality. His protagonist is a modern Greek adventurer but an everyman as well.”—J.A. Wainwright, McCulloch Professor Emeritus, Dalhousie University

    "…resembles Mary Renault’s novels in its focus…”—Nicholas Karolides, Professor of English, Twice Recipient of the Distinguished Teacher Award, University of Wisconsin/River Falls

    “Kokonis writes beautifully.”—Leisa Belleau, Creative Writing Program, University of Southern Indiana

    “Have you ever read a book and liked it so much that you slowed down as you came near the end because you wanted to savor it? I've read both books twice!"--Georgia Kosmas Wiebe, MN

    “…offers an intimate expression of the experience of tens of thousands of individuals who have traveled the well-worn path of seeking a new life in America through education.”—Jeff Helgeson, playwright and author, Roosevelt University

    “…a celebration of the American Dream and the story of America.”—Amanda Caleb, Misericordia University

    “…engages the reader from the outset…captures the soul and spirit of the individual’s quest for self-realization and a moral foundation in 1960’s America.”—Mary Adams, Department of English, Lincoln College

    “Through Angelo's modern heroic journey so dramatically narrated, we’re reminded of those obstacles immigrants surmount scrabbling for their small piece of the American Dream. A good read.”—Laurie Wood, Associate Professor, English & Literature, Utah Valley University

    “Gently, Kokonis takes the reader by the throat and will not let go...”—Marilyn Boutwell, Associate Professor, English Department, Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus

    “Full of delightful characters that jump out of the pages with every passage…a worthy contribution to humanity.”—A. A. Alvarez, Author, Chronicles of a Nomad