{
  "id": 16471107,
  "title": "The Greek Island That Taught Me the Art of Living",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/the-greek-island-that-taught-me-the-art-of-living",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-25T12:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Atlantic",
    "slug": "the-atlantic",
    "url": "https://www.theatlantic.com/books/2026/10/platon-paros-photography-book-greece/689083/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lefkés, a mountain village on Paros, Greece, is named after white poplars that once surrounded it. A Byzantine footpath winds toward the Aegean Sea, hidden from the shoreline to prevent pirate attacks. My Uncle Stelios purchased a rundown house in Lefkés in the late 1960s, which he and my father transformed into a grand residence. Lefkés maintained a human scale, with narrow streets and rounded corners allowing donkeys to navigate with ease. Electricity was introduced, running water became accessible, and the post office doubled as a gathering spot for the community. One \"Mrs. Postman\" personally delivered letters, reading them first before passing them on. My father’s family had fled Greece during World War II, returning to the village later. Growing up, I sketched and studied villagers, eventually turning to photography in 1986. Uncle Stelios guided me to capture the essence of the community, from elders to children, priests, fishermen, and farmers. An early photograph features Pandelis, born around 1915, sitting before a wall adorned with an empty picture frame, a pincushion, and a beacon of hope—AA batteries. Uncle Stelios assisted me in locating subjects, exploring Paros and Antiparos in search of \"good quality people.\" I also photographed Platon Platon Efthemios, Uncle Stelios’s confidant, along with his family and a photographer from a recent film project. Katerina, a ceramicist and her tailor husband, welcomed us into their home, expressing the sentiment that life is composed of \"happy moments,\" not a single happy life.",
  "summary": "Chronicling the disappearance of the old ways in a village where I was raised",
  "key_points": [
    "Lefkés village named after white poplars, hidden from pirates",
    "Uncle Stelios turned rundown house into grand residence",
    "Photography captured community essence, from elders to children"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}