Anna A. Grimani is not simply a journalist or a biographer. She is a voice that has illuminated with sensitivity and depth the multifaceted life of one of the most important Greek intellectuals of the 20th century, Eleni Glykatzi-Ahrweiler.‎‎

Through her book “Eleni Glykatzi-Ahrweiler‎‎: 600 Pencils and 10 Poems”, Grimani guides us into a world filled with moments, redefinitions, and vivid personal images — not through dry academic narration, but with the poetic sensitivity befitting such a rich and complex life.

The book is not a typical chronological biography. Instead, Grimani uses 600 pencils as a metaphor for the many profound moments in Ahrweiler‎‎’s life — moments that begin in her childhood in Vyronas and extend through her brilliant academic career in Paris. Unique photographs and personal poems are interwoven into the text, conveying not only facts but also emotions and intimate memories.

Eleni Glykatzi-Ahrweiler‎‎ was an internationally recognized Byzantinist, the first female Rector at the University of Paris (Sorbonne), and Chancellor of the Parisian universities, with a rich body of work and profound cultural influence. Through her conversations with Grimani, Arveler opens a window into her inner world — her thoughts, memories, and the people who shaped her.

The result is a book that feels more like a meeting of two minds than a simple record of events: one narrates, the other listens, and through this dialogue emerges the personal and academic journey of a woman who left a lasting mark on modern Greek and European intellectual life.

Grimani’s book sheds light on both the life and work of Glykatzi-Ahrweiler‎‎. Through personal testimonies, photographs, and poems, Grimani presents not only Arveler’s academic trajectory — as the first female Rector at the Sorbonne — but also her inner world, memories, and the values that shaped her.

This is a book that blends history, human experience, and spirituality, inviting readers to engage closely with the mind and spirit of a woman who profoundly influenced contemporary Greek and European intellectual culture.

Who’s Who
The writer ANNA GRIMANI

Born in Athens, Anna Grimani studied journalism in Paris. She began her career at the newspaper TA NEA. She continued in Greek periodicals such as ENA, EIKONES, and others, focusing on culture, research on the Greek diaspora, and interviews with prominent Greek and international academics, scientists, and artists.

Her column PATRIDOGNOSIA & GREEKS ABROAD in K magazine (Kathimerini Sunday edition, 2008–2017) highlighted more than 450 distinguished Greek scientists excelling in international academic institutions and research centers. She also conducted interviews with these figures for K, GK, and Limited Edition magazines (Kathimerini/Eurobank).

She served as editor and presenter of the TV program ΩΡΑΙΟΙ ΩΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΕΣ (ET1), featuring hour-long portraits of leading Greek scientists abroad, filmed across Europe and the USA — introducing these figures to the Greek audience for the first time.

From 2015 to 2018, she served as President of a humanitarian organization supporting underprivileged Greek children with congenital heart disease, overseeing the care of 106 children and organizing major cultural events at the Athens Concert Hall and Herodeion Theatre.

She is a member of the Mentors Honorary Committee of HOPEgenesis, founded by Dr. Stefanos Chandakas, which addresses Greece’s low birth rates.

Grimani has published four poetry collections (Kastaniotis Editions) and authored the biography of Eleni Glykatzi-Arveler, “The 600 Pencils” (1st edition, 2005, Electra Editions). She also wrote the epilogue for the book How Greek is Byzantium? (Gutenberg, 2016).

Books by Anna Grimani (Literature):

• The Paper Train (Kedros Editions)

• The Billiard (Kastaniotis Editions)

• Monograph: A Sunday with Dimitris Mytaras (Ammos Editions)

• In the Land of Japheth (Kastaniotis Editions)

• Venetia (Kastaniotis Editions)

• Nick Arvanitidis: The Greek of Silicon Valley (Kastaniotis Editions)