Greek novelist and poet Alexis Stamatis dies at 67 after long battle with rare blood disease
The writer of 'Bar Flaubert' and 'American Fugue' succumbed to a rare hematological illness on 20 July 2026 in an Athens clinic.
Alexis Stamatis, a prolific and multifaceted figure in contemporary Greek literature, died on 20 July 2026 at the age of 67. His passing, at the Athens Clinic, followed a years-long struggle with a rare blood disease. Stamatis leaves behind a body of work that spans novels, poetry, theatre, and film, and was widely recognised both in Greece and abroad.
Early life and family
Born in Athens in 1960, Stamatis was the son of architect Kostas Stamatis and actress Betty Arvaniti, a creative lineage that shaped his artistic path. He studied architecture at the National Technical University of Athens and later pursued postgraduate studies in architecture and film in London. Before fully devoting himself to writing, he worked as an architect on significant projects in Greece and the United Arab Emirates.
Literary career
Stamatis made his debut in 1998 with 'The Seventh Elephant', published in the United Kingdom. His 2000 novel 'Bar Flaubert' became his most translated work, reaching readers in France, Italy, Spain, Russia, Serbia and Bulgaria. The novel 'American Fugue' won the International Literature Award from the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts, while his poetry collection 'Architecture of Interior Spaces' received the Nikiforos Vrettakos Poetry Prize from the municipality of Athens. His children's book 'Alkis and the Labyrinth' was honoured by the Greek Children's Book Circle. Across his career he published 34 books, including 20 novels and six poetry collections, along with plays and other works.
- Novels
- 20
- Poetry collections
- 6
Theatre and film
His presence in theatre was marked by several productions on major Athenian stages such as the Art Theatre, the Kefallinias Street Theatre and the Mihalis Kakogiannis Foundation. A defining moment came in 2019 when his work 'Melissia' was staged at the National Theatre of Greece with his mother, Betty Arvaniti, in the leading role. Stamatis also wrote the screenplay for the film 'Storm' and collaborated with composer Theodoris Abatzis on librettos performed at the Athens Concert Hall.
- Born in Athens, son of an architect and an actress.
- Debut novel 'The Seventh Elephant' published in the United Kingdom.
- 'Bar Flaubert' released, later translated across Europe.
- Play 'Melissia' staged at the National Theatre of Greece, starring his mother.
- Final novel 'The Child and the Angel' published.
- Died in Athens at age 67 after a long illness.
Final years and legacy
Stamatis remained active until the end. His final novel, 'The Child and the Angel', was published by Metaichmio in March 2025, and later that year he returned to poetry with the collection 'The Disease of Simple Things'. For many years he taught creative writing at educational institutions and contributed articles to the newspaper To Vima. He is survived by his wife, actress Eva Simatou, and their son Ermis.
