Vasilis Vasilikos

The novelist Vasilis Vasilikos (alternative spelling Vassilis Vassilikos)(born November 18, 1934), gained international fame when his novel "Z" became a successful film, directed by Costas Gavras. Born in Kavala, the son of a member of the Greek parliament, he studied law at the University of Thessaloniki. During the years of dictatorship in Greece, he lived in Europe as a political refugee.

His early work is, at times, autobiographical, with elements of experimentation and lyricism in his style and subject matter. His famous "Z" exposes his doubt and anger for the world of politics, through the story of the assassination of Parliament Member, Grigoris Lambrakis. His later work incorporates immediacy to reflect Vasilikos' social and political thoughts.