Alexandros Papadiamantis was an influential Greek novelist, short-story writer, and poet. He was born in Skiathos, Greece, in the western part of the Aegean Sea. This island prominently featured in his work. His father was a priest.

Papadiamantis moved to Athens as a young man to complete his high school studies and enrolled in the philosophy faculty of Athens University, although he never completed his studies. He returned to his native island later in life and died there.

Throughout his adult life, he supported himself through his writing, producing everything from journalism and short stories to several serialized novels. From a certain point onwards, he became very popular, with newspapers and magazines competing for his writings.