Zorba the Greek (book)

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Category: Literature

Published on Wednesday, 19 August 2015 08:09

Zorba the greek

This novel, first published in 1946, had written by the famous greek author and philosopher Nikos Kazantzakis.
It was adapted into a successful movie in 1964 with the same name by the director Michael Cacoyannis, as well as a 1968 musical “Zorba”.

The film of Barton Fink heavily alludes to Kazantzakis's novel.
The story is situated in Piraeus; the year is most likely 1916.

The characters are: the narrator, a young greek intellectual who set off for Crete to re-open a disused lignite mine and immerse himself in the world of peasants and working class people, and Alexis Zorba, a greek born in Romania which was employed as foreman by the narrator.
 Zorba has been acclaimed as one of the truly memorable creations of literature a character created on a huge scale in the tradition of Falstaff and Sancho Panza. His years have not dimmed the gusto and amazement with which he responds to all life offers him, whether he is working in the mine, confronting mad monks in a mountain monastery, embellishing the tales of his life or making love to avoid sin. Zorba’s life is rich with all the joys and sorrows that living brings and his example awakens in the narrator an understanding of the true meaning of humanity.


Kazantzakis gained renewed fame with this novel thought higly of critics his “Magnum Opus” also with another book “The last temptation of Christ” in Martin Scorsese's adaptation.

So I advise you to read this interesting book because concernes about friendship, love, adventure and is one of the most famous novel in greek literature.