1946 Margarita Lyberakis' "The Straw Hats"

"The Straw Hats" is one of the most enchanting coming-of-age novels of modern Greek literature, mainly because its protagonists are teenage girls. In her book, Margarita Lyberakis (1919-2001) balanced masterfully between a rich poetic layering and existential depth. In the aftermath of the civil war she wrote her novel The Other Alexander (1949) and gave an allegoric statement on the question of human existence. She lived in France for many years, came in touch with existentialism, the cinematic narrative and the stylistic mannerism of the New Novel (Nouveau Roman.)  Additionally, she was a successful scriptwriter, especially in Nikos Koundouros' Magic City and Jules Dassin's Phaedra.