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Amanda Michalopoulou’s second novel to appear in English, the brilliantly titled doesn’t officially come out until May 20th, but we released it a couple months early for her cross-country tour.

The book details the lifelong ups-and-downs of two best friends who meet in grade school when they both move back to Greece from other countries. (The narrator longs for her beloved Africa, Anna has been growing up in the refined atmosphere of Paris.) Like any best friends, they are also intimate rivals, a rivalry that is reignited years later when Anna reenter’s Maria’s life and basically takes over Maria’s radical political group. This mixture of Greek politics and the emotional turmoil that comes along with best friendship make this an incredible book that really does end with with a death . . .

If you’re not sold yet, here’s Gary Shteyngart’s blurb: “Flawlessly translated, Amanda Michalopolou’s WIKMBF uses the backdrop of Greek politics, radical protests, and the art world to explore the dangers and joys that come with BFFs. Or, as the narrator puts it, ‘odiodsamato,’ which translates roughly as ‘frienemies.’”

Now the tour:

Thursday, April 10th, 7pm

Hallwells
341 Delaware Ave.
Buffalo, NY 14202

Reading the World Conversation Series: Radical Politics and BFFs
Tuesday, April 15th, 6pm

Gowen Room
Wilson Commons
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Rochester, NY 14627

Wednesday, April 16th, 7:30pm

Powell’s Books on Hawthorne
3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Portland, OR 97214

Friday, April 18th, 6pm

The Book Club of California
312 Sutter St
San Francisco, CA 94108

Sunday, April 20th, 3pm

City Lit Books
2523 North Kedzie Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60647

There are also events in the works at Brown University and Princeton. As soon as we have the details confirmed, I’ll post about them here and will put them in our recently resuscitated Translation Events Calendar. (If you have an event you want to add to this, simply email kaija.straumanis [at] rochester.edu.)