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Zorba the Greek

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( 57,360 ratings, 6,379 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis is a captivating tale of friendship between a scholarly young man and the exuberant, free-spirited Alexis Zorba. As they embark on a venture to revive a mine in Crete, the young man learns vital life lessons from Zorba's zest for living. The narrative explores themes of existentialism, the pursuit of happiness, and the clash between intellectualism and a life of passion and experience.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're captivated by tales of friendship and the zest for life, set against the enchanting backdrop of Crete. Delving into themes of freedom, adventure, and the pursuit of happiness, it offers a philosophical exploration through memorable characters and vibrant storytelling.

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A 20th century classic: Nikos Kazantzakis' Zorba the Greek is the original work of inspirational fiction.

Nikos Kazantzakis' Zorba the Greek is the original work of inspirational fiction.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Set before the start of the First World War, this moving fable sees a young English writer set out to Crete to claim a small inheritance. But when he arrives, he meets Alexis Zorba, a middle-aged Greek man with a zest for life. Zorba has had a family and many lovers, has fought in the Balkan wars, has lived and loved - he is a simple but deep man who lives every moment fully and without shame. As their friendship develops, the Englishman is gradually won over, transformed and inspired along with the reader.

Zorba the Greek, Nikos Kazantzakis' most popular and enduring novel, has its origins in the author's own experiences in the Peleponnesus in the 1920s. His swashbuckling hero has legions of fans across the world and his adventures are as exhilarating now as they were on first publication in the 1950s.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis has received high praise for its vibrant characters and philosophical depth. Reviewers often highlight the book's exploration of the human spirit, freedom, and the zest for life embodied by the character Zorba. The novel is frequently lauded for its rich storytelling and the contrasting perspectives of the intellectual narrator and the exuberantly life-loving Zorba, which many readers find thought-provoking and inspiring.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571323272

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 August 2016

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main - Faber Modern Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by Carl Wildman

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 195.0mm

Weight: 270g

Pages: 352

About the Author

Nikos Kazantzakis was born in 1883 in Herakleion on the island of Crete. He didn't start writing novels until he was almost 60 and completed his most famous work, Zorba the Greek, in 1946. Other novels include Freedom and Death (1953) and The Last Temptation (1954), which the Vatican placed on the Index. Nikos Kazantzakis finally settled in Antibes with his second wife, and died there from leukaemia in October 1957.

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