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Sales of Gianna Angelopoulos’s autobiography, ''My Greek Drama'', are beyond all expectations in the largest e-bookstore in the world - Amazon. It ranks first with 93.5% in the category 'Movers & Shakers', which includes the most popular books, and in the category of best-selling books 'Women in Politics' it also ranks first. The title ranks eighth in the category 'Hot New Releases' and eighteenth in the general best seller list, surpassing ''ObamaCare'' by Nick Tate. The book has been among the one hundred top-selling books for two days now.

''My Greek Drama'' ranks second in the category of best-selling books on policy, management and political science, following ''Control'' by Glenn Beck which is on a topic that is always hot - the possession of personal weapons in the USA.

Gianna Angelopoulos herself says that the book is “a story of life and love, success and failure, betrayal and redemption.” Here are some typical excerpts published in Protothema newspaper.

About Costas Karamanlis (former prime minister from 2004 to 2009)

He pondered it for quite a while before leaning over to Yiannis (Yiannis Papoutsanis, director of the Eleftheros Tipos newspaper) and twice tapping him on the leg, which suggested he was about to confide something both intimate and of consequence. “My happiest moment,” he said “will be the moment when I leave this place.”[…] It didn’t surprise me quite as much, except perhaps that the Prime Minister would admit it.

About Nikos Christodoulakis (former Minister of Economy and Finance, 2001-2004)

I was on friendly terms with a journalist who happened to be sitting with Christodoulakis when he received that call. Afterwards, while Simitis was smiling and nodding and giving me polite assurances, his economic adviser was vending his displeasure. “I mean this wealthy bitch comes here playing games as if we will really win the [Olympic] Games.”

About Dora Bakoyannis (former Mayor of Athens from 2003 to 2006)

One person who wasn’t enamoured of me and didn’t bother to hide it was the daughter of Constantinos Mitsotakis, Dora Bakoyannis. I personally overheard her describe me as “audacious and brazen.”

About Evangelos Venizelos (former Minister of Culture and Sport 2000-2004)

Venizelos wanted to wait until just before the Games and simply pass a new law that mandated all the changes and prescribed punishments for lawbreakers. I told him and the Prime Minister that his idea was unacceptable. He insisted, and in an arrogant and pompous manner, without even glancing at me, he said to Simitis, “My plan is the best.”

Picture: http://offsite.com.cy

Greeks can repeat the “miracle of 2004” and deserve a much better fate, said Gianna Angelopoulos, during the presentation of her book in the cultural hall of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Manhattan, New York. Talking about her book, ''My Greek Drama'', which will soon be released in Greek too, she referred to her personal opinion of the organisation of the 2004 Olympics and the legacy left to the country, proving for the first time that the Greeks “are not wretches.” Answering questions, Gianna Angelopoulos said that we should not blame the Olympic Games for the economic crisis, but politicians and their choices.

After the event, which was organised by the Cultural and Educational Committee of the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, Angelopoulos told journalists: “I wanted to write this book and I did it in order to show the world and especially America another Greece. A Greece which is capable and has already accomplished excellent things, which performed a miracle, the Olympic Games and has learned many lessons. But then the politicians took over and the life of the world changed.” Angelopoulos said that she is presenting her book in many cities in America in order to stop the blaming of Greeks. “There’s no stereotype of the lazy Greek,” she stressed, adding: “I know the Greek who can work miracles and I’m proud. I talk about our country, about all the good things. I talk to people abroad and urge them to help Greece, to visit Greece, to help young people in Greece, as I do by financing projects for children. But there are many more ways. I have served my country and I am proud. I have always wanted to help my country and I will be doing this forever,” added Angelopoulos.

When asked what she would answer those who claim that she wrote this book in order to remind of her presence in the new political situation, Angelopoulos said that she has been overshadowed by the events for many years, and this was her choice. Now, she is doing this for the Greeks, since it is unfair and unfortunate that, because of political mistakes, Greeks have been undergoing this crisis for decades, losing their houses, salaries, pensions, cars and seeing the lives of their children changed. According to her, Greeks deserve a much better fate.

Asked if the “secret recipe” of 2004 can be used today, so that Greece could emerge from the crisis, Gianna Angelopoulos said: “A plan is needed. At the time, not only Olympic construction and infrastructure existed. People worked as a team for the first time,” and added “In this way, with this team, Greece, with discipline, without asking for anything, performed a miracle. We only had 165,000 volunteers and they learned how to overcome bureaucracy and solve problems. We are the only country which managed to organise the Olympic Games in 4 years, not 7, without any problems. What does this mean? The Games were organised by people, not me or the organising committee and not just the government, either. Greek people organised them. And I do not need a political position in order to do things for my country.”