Zorba the Greek
by Nikos Kazantzakis
Buy on AmazonThe classic novel, international sensation, and inspiration for the film starring Anthony Quinn explores the struggle between the aesthetic and the rational, the inner life and the life of the mind. The classic novel Zorba the Greek is the story of two men, their incredible friendship, and the importance of living life to the fullest. Zorba, a Greek working man, is a larger-than-life character, energetic and unpredictable. He accompanies the unnamed narrator to Crete to work in the narrator’s lignite mine, and the pair develops a singular relationship. The two men couldn’t be further apart: The narrator is cerebral, modest, and reserved; Zorba is unfettered, spirited, and beyond the reins of civility.…
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"Also, “Zorba the Greek,” by Nikos Kazantzakis. I have so many books at home that I can’t wait to read, and yet I couldn’t help but pull these down from my friends’ and family’s bookshelves."
By the Book: Amanda Knox · nytimes.com