Feeling Full of Life After Reading “Zorba the Greek”? Try THESE 4 Life-Affirming Books!
Zorba the Greek is one of the most powerful, life-affirming books you’re ever likely to come across, and I don’t think that anyone who is somewhat alive and breathing can read this book and sit still.
The story is told by an unnamed narrator (usually just referred to as “Boss” by Zorba) who is actually based on Kazantzakis himself. Alexis Zorba is also based on a real person, George Zorbas, who Kazantzakis met and became close friends with in real life.
The book opens in a cafe in Piraeus, shortly after the end of the First World War, and the narrator has just separated from another close friend of his, Stavridakis, who has gone off to the Caucasus to fight for the Greek cause.
Feeling chastened by his friend, he decides to lease a lignite mine on Crete and lead a more active life, not as a “pen-pusher” who lives only for books and words.
While he’s sitting there reading his copy of Dante’s Divine Comedy, Zorba approaches him and asks him for a job. Moved by Zorba’s exuberant first impression, he immediately hires Zorba to be his foreman, and off they go!
