Zorba the Greek is a novel written by Nikos Kazantzakis that was first published in 1946. Kazantzakis is a Cretan author who is considered one of the most influential modern Greek writers in history. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature nine times, and his novels, plays, memoirs, and philosophical essays are widely read in literary circles. In addition, the movies based on his books have spread his influence all across the world. Zorba the Greek was adapted into a highly-acclaimed 1964 film starring Anthony Quinn.
The story of Zorba the Greek centers around two main characters: Zorba, an adventurous and exuberant 65-year-old, and an unnamed narrator, a young Greek intellectual who has grown bored of his bookish life and has decided to start a new journey with Zorba. The pair travel to Crete to develop a lignite mine in a small village of eccentric people. They come to form a deep friendship through their discussions about life and their experience of many strange and often challenging scenarios. Nikos Kazantzakis weaves into the narrative many questions of the relationship between God and man, good versus evil, and the struggle of people to find their purpose in life. Through Zorba’s rich and almost ineffable life of emotion, Kazantzakis beautifully explores what it means to be human.
