Rediscovering a Fictional Icon

By Suzanne Donahue    |   Monday, January 12, 2015 - Off the Shelf When I was given the opportunity to work with the Nikos Kazantzakis estate on a new translation of Zorba the Greek—the first English translation to be done directly from the original Greek—I knew only of the famous film, starring Anthony Quinn. I had read other books by Kazantzakis, including one of my favorite books of all time, The Last Temptation of Christ, but I had never read the mighty Zorba. I learned quickly, though, from the first pages that getting to know Zorba and reading his story (and in many instances having him tell me his story) was going to be a rare treat and one I should not have waited so long to enjoy. Zorba is a huge mountain of a man—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—bawdy, profane, loyal, passionate, generous, kind, funny, and very human. He is described throughout the book as uneducated by the overeducated narrator, but Zorba imparts gifts of wisdom about life and love that put the narrator’s knowledge to shame. The story begins in a café in Piraeus. The unnamed narrator, nursing a cup of sage tea, is mourning the loss of his beloved friend, who has left to fight a war. The narrator is on his way to take possession of a lignite mine on Crete, hoping that the physical labor necessary to work the mine will free his mind. He is shaken from his reverie by Zorba’s face at the café window. Once Zorba enters, the book takes on an energy and joy. When he opens his mouth to tell tales of his adventures, you sit back in awe. You want to spend as much time as you can in the presence of this man. When he is not there, you definitely miss him. More