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Zorba the Greek (Revised)
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
A stunning new translation of the classic book--and basis for the beloved Oscar-winning film--brings the clarity and beauty of Kazantzakis's language and story alive. First published in 1946, "Zorba the Greek," is, on one hand, the story of a Greek working man named Zorba, a passionate lover of life, the unnamed narrator who he accompanies to Crete to work in a lignite mine, and the men and women of the town where they settle. On the other hand it is the story of God and man, The Devil and the Saints; the struggle of men to find their souls and purpose in life and it is about love, courage and faith. Zorba has been acclaimed as one of the truly memorable creations of literature--a character created on a huge scale in the tradition of Falstaff and Sancho Panza. His years have not dimmed the gusto and amazement with which he responds to all life offers him, whether he is working in the mine, confronting mad monks in a mountain monastery, embellishing the tales of his life or making love to avoid sin. Zorba's life is rich with all the joys and sorrows that living brings and his example awakens in the narrator an understanding of the true meaning of humanity. This is one of the greatest life-affirming novels of our time. Part of the modern literary canon, "Zorba the Greek," has achieved widespread international acclaim and recognition. This new edition translated, directly from Kazantzakis's Greek original, is a more faithful rendition of his original language, ideas, and story, and presents Zorba as the author meant him to be.
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Leniverse
Zorba the Greek | Nikos Kazantzakis, Carl Wildman
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📖 Zorba the Greek
✍️ Stefan Zweig
🎬 Zombieland
🎤 Led Zeppelin again? Or... Zepparella
🎶 Zombie (The Cranberries), Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie), and sneaking in Mr. Zebra (Tori Amos)

#ManicMonday #LetterZ
@CBee

eeclayton I'm totally fine with Led Zeppelin again 🤘 2y
27 likes1 comment
review
Schwifty
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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Pickpick

This book seems to have a lot of negative reviews -the characters are mostly male and exude misogyny. This, however isn‘t surprising when you consider that it takes place in a traditional, patriarchal Greece of the 1940s. It‘s steeped in religious symbolism once you get past the womanizing of Zorba to realize he is the argument against living the pious life concerned with the hereafter and instead embrace life in the now, living with full force.

Schwifty Also, if you‘re not familiar with Greek culture, I can see how this book could be confusing or a slog. I lived in Cyprus for a bit, so I could more easily relate to what was going on. 3y
6 likes1 comment
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Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick
Zorba the Greek | Nikos Kazantzakis, Carl Wildman
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Bailedbailed

I only made it 43% through this before bailing. The reader's voice was scratchy & weathered, which may suit the unnamed narrator, but wasn't exactly great to listen to at length. Add to it nothing much happens and I didn't find Zorba's constant philosophizing entertaining, just annoying. You can be a womanizer, but you have to be interesting, too, Zorba. Sheesh.
#foodandlit @butterfinger @texreader @catsandbooks

Texreader Ha! Great review! Sounds like things I couldn‘t have tolerated for very long either. 3y
55 likes1 comment
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Adventures_of_a_French_Reader
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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Thank you so much @Daisey for this book! It arrived yesterday. You are what makes Litsy so special ;) Wish you a great day.

Daisey Yay! Glad it made it safely to you and hoping you enjoy the book more than I did. 3y
22 likes1 comment
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Ladygodiva7
Zorba the Greek | Nikos Kazantzakis, Carl Wildman
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Book 42 of 2021.

#1001 #BOTM #Reading1001

BookwormM Still waiting for my library hold 3y
18 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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KellyMuser
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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He could‘ve written, “I thought about my friend who died,” but instead he wrote...💕📚

Great first book of summer! What will be my last one?

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GatheringBooks
Zorba the Greek | Nikos Kazantzakis, Carl Wildman
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Daisey
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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Panpan

There were specific descriptions and lines in this that I enjoyed, but overall it was not for me. I had a harder time staying focused as I listened as well because I didn‘t care for the characters and just wasn‘t that interested in the story.

#Reading1001 #TBRTakedown March 2020
#ReadTheWorld #ReadingTheWorld #Greece #translated #audiobook #1001books

BarbaraBB I was so disappointed by this one too. 4y
Liz_M I think the humor on it didn't agree well. 4y
Daisey @Liz_M I think you‘re probably right here. There was supposed to be humor, but either I missed parts or it grated on me the wrong way. 4y
45 likes3 comments
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Daisey
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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Yesterday I shared a few of the quotes from Zorba the Greek that I appreciated. However, I am not enjoying the story, and this page is just one example of the way it speaks about women that is the main reason why.

#1001books

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Daisey
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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I can‘t say I‘m enjoying the story of this book, but it does have some good lines.

#1001books #quote

48 likes1 stack add
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Daisey
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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I can‘t say I‘m enjoying the story of this book, but it does have some good lines.

#1001books #quote

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Louise
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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Good questions, @TheSpineView ! I‘m currently reading the English translation of Zorba the Greek, by Nikos Kazantzakis. I read books in German regularly and am starting to read in French again as I brush up on the language. #Two4Tuesday Tagging @robinb Hi, Robin! 👋

TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 👍 5y
57 likes1 comment
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La_Cori
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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TK-421 ❤️ 5y
Suet624 A good reminder. Be smack dab in the newness of each moment. 5y
41 likes2 comments
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Katerina
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Athens airport (Greece) now has books on every table at the gates. Not a bad idea 😀

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Libby1
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It‘s my last day in Greece so time to start my new book!

Isn‘t the cover delightful?

rockpools Enjoy your day! 5y
71 likes1 comment
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JPeterson
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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Litsy, it‘s been awhile. Two weeks in Greece was simply phenomenal. While I barely got any reading done, we did stop in this amazing book store in Oia. I picked up Zobra the Greek, even though the reviews are dicey, it just seemed the like the right choice (plus, I didn‘t have room for another edition of The Odyssey 😂).

BarbaraTheBibliophage Sounds heavenly! 🇬🇷 5y
erzascarletbookgasm 😍 🇬🇷 5y
64 likes3 comments
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GripLitGrl
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BarbaraBB
Zorba the Greek | Nikos Kazantzakis, Carl Wildman
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Bailedbailed

I started this for #readaroundtheworld. An unnamed narrator leaves for the island of Crete to exploit a mine. He brings Zorba to manage the work in the mine. Zorba turns out to be the man he always wanted to be: he does all he does with passion, whether he is #BusyEarning money, drinking, eating or ‘making women his‘. After a 100 pages I think I have enough though, I get the point and am not enjoying it at all. On to the next. #Aprella #1001books

JenP That‘s too bad 7y
ephemeralwaltz Well done - if you feel like bailing just bail. 7y
Cinfhen I‘m pretty sure this was a play at one time .... 7y
See All 12 Comments
emilyhaldi Too many books to read a bad one 😏 7y
Simona You deserve a big 👏👏👏 just for starting this one! 7y
Mdargusch Haha! You “get the point” 😂. It‘s time to move on! 7y
BarbaraBB @ephemeralwaltz I always feel bad about it but I should, shouldn‘t I?! 7y
Reviewsbylola Bummer! At least you knew when to pull the plug. 7y
Currey I always feel bad too but it is easier to motivate others....Move On, Move On 7y
BarbaraBB @Currey So many other books calling for my attention 😀 7y
ValerieAndBooks I bailed on this one as well! But still counted it towards my #1001Books goal 🤫 7y
BarbaraBB @ValerieAndBooks Of course, me too 😉! I am glad you bailed too! 7y
64 likes12 comments
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BooksFootballBeer
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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5 likes2 stack adds
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Sarah83
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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Liz_M
Zorba the Greek | Nikos Kazantzakis, Carl Wildman
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A month later, I finally finish another book for my #bingo card: Starts with the letter Z
#lrc2017

tpixie Awesome! 7y
5 likes1 stack add1 comment
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ValerieAndBooks
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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Bailedbailed

That dude in the middle isn't dancing, he's running away from what should be called Zorba the Misogynist. This would have been a better book if Zorba had been otherwise; also if it was more plot and fewer long conversations between him and the book's narrator. Maybe in the movie version, Anthony Quinn makes him more likable? (Glad both copies were at used prices!)

shawnmooney I got bored and bailed on this long before reading anything that showed his misogyny. What an awful book! 7y
ValerieAndBooks @shawnmooney agree! I felt that the attitudes were just too dated (yes I know there's still people like that today but you know what I mean). I do definitely plan on watching the movie though, I think amazon prime has it available for streaming. (edited) 7y
51 likes2 comments
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ValerieAndBooks
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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Hmm, so far it seems that Zorba may be a bit of a lecher 🤔. Reading the Bien translation of Zorba the Greek for #LitsyAtoZ (author last name K, though it also works for a Z title). Occasionally I refer to the used copy I have of the earlier translation, just for the heck of it.

saresmoore Interesting! 7y
Leniverse Oscillating backside vs. Rolling buttocks! Personally I'd go with oscillating buttocks. 😂 7y
CouronneDhiver Ooo, an oscillating backside... 😂 #ThesaurusGoneWrong 7y
ValerieAndBooks @saresmoore @Leniverse @CouronneDhiver "oscillating backside" definitely had me looking at the older (Wildman) translation to compare ?! But overall the newer (Bien) seems better. 7y
52 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Marchpane
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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Mehso-so

This had some interesting parts but I feel like Zorba's hedonistic life philosophy would have been more of a novelty back in the day when this was published. The plot just didn't grab me but I can see why some people love it.

This was my #StartsWithZ book for #litsyreadingchallenge and my 1946 book for #192019challenge.

shawnmooney I couldn't get into it at all - found Zorba to be completely annoying and the writing—translation?—uninspiring. 7y
Marchpane @shawnmooney maybe it's better in Greek? I read the new translation for whatever it's worth. 7y
shawnmooney Yeah I read (10% of) the new translation too. 7y
88 likes3 comments
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iarina
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Can't wait to read all these books 😊📖📕

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ValerieAndBooks
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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I have a few #samebookdifferentcover books. Still TBR are Doctor Zhivago and Zorba the Greek; when I get to those I'll probably read the newer translations (in the bottom row). I don't like reading from mass markets any more but have hung onto the older Burr and Cat's Cradle anyway. I found the hardback Tortilla Curtain later and thought it was cool-looking but it doesn't really go with my other TC Boyle books which are mostly Penguin PBs.

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shawnmooney
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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Bailedbailed

What can I say? It was all Greek to me. Bailed 10% in. The story wasn't at all interesting and I hated the prose.

Suet624 😂😂😂 8y
LeahBergen I liked it! Mind you, it was a book club pick so I had to keep plowing through it. 😀 8y
shawnmooney @LeahBergen Ha - you're more community minded than me: I bailed on the book I was supposed to read for my tiny little book club in December; one of the other two members was so upset that I bailed that the book club is no more... lol 8y
LeahBergen @shawnmooney So ... you're the book club equivalent of a "home wrecker"? ? 8y
37 likes4 comments
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shawnmooney
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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shawnmooney
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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shawnmooney
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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shawnmooney
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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shawnmooney
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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shawnmooney
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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shawnmooney
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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GoneFishing
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis

Two equally steep and bold paths may lead to the same peak.

35 likes3 stack adds
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ValerieAndBooks
Zorba the Greek | Nikos Kazantzakis, Carl Wildman
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#booknerdproblems is when you look through a copy of a book you bought used and realize that nearly every page has already been underlined 😑. Now you have to decide whether to keep it or find a better copy

vivastory @ValerieAndBooks Ditch and get the new version translated by Peter Bien. It's supposed to be the best one yet. 8y
OrangeMooseReads Ditch it and get a new one/different one 8y
ValerieAndBooks Aww man @vivastory there's another/newer translation?! Now that brings up another #booknerdproblems-- wanting to compare different translations (even w/o knowing the original language) 😨! @OrangeMooseReads I probably will but also see above. I don't mind a few highlights/underlines here or there but in the entire book is just crazy. 8y
See All 10 Comments
8little_paws Oohh yeah that would drive me batty. 8y
OrangeMooseReads A few or a bit of highlighting and marks are ok, but that is just ridiculous 8y
LeahBergen Gah!!! Ditch it. That would drive me crazy. 8y
RealLifeReading Ugh. I can't even stand it when it's just a bit of underlining. 8y
Cinfhen Wait, that actually is a real problem! It would drive me nuts!!! 8y
ValerieAndBooks @8little_paws @OrangeMooseReads @LeahBergen @RealLifeReading @cinfhen I know right?! I have no idea how I missed this. I'm pretty picky about the condition of used books. Oh well! 8y
Zelma Heck no. I don't care if people write in their books, but I certainly don't want to see it in mine. I find it distracting. Plus, that is an excessive amount of underlining! 🙄 8y
56 likes2 stack adds10 comments
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GoneFishing

Luck is blind, they say. It can‘t see where it‘s going and keeps running into people…and the people it knocks into we call lucky! Well, to hell with luck if it's like that, I say!

24 likes2 stack adds
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GoneFishing
Zorba the Greek | Nikos Kazantzakis, Carl Wildman

I felt once more how simple and frugal a thing is happiness: a glass of wine, a roast chestnut, a wretched little brazier, the sound of the sea. Nothing else.

26 likes2 stack adds
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CoffeeAndABook
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A good book & a long afternoon on a peaceful beach, the scent of dried thyme in the breeze... Just as happy as can be 😌🐬

Kirstin That looks so nice! Pretty chilly where I am this morning! 8y
CoffeeAndABook @Kirstin Thx 😊 Yeah, I'm staving off autumn just a little longer... But once I return home from this trip it'll be knit wear & hot cocoa all around 😉 8y
ValerieAndBooks I have this book in my actual TBR and really want to get to it so that I can then watch the movie with Anthony Quinn 😉. Looks like such a nice location you're at 🌊 8y
See All 7 Comments
CoffeeAndABook @ValerieAndBooks Yes! It's worth reading the book & then watching the great movie 😊 I'm on the isle of Crete so the book is really a smack on perfect read 🐚 8y
MemoirsForMe Beach reading is the best! 👍🏻🏖 8y
CoffeeAndABook @UwannaPublishme Oh and it is!!! I just wish I lived closer to the coast... Any coast.... 😌 At least I live next to a big river - there's something about large bodies of water, they have a calming, strengthening effect, don't you think? 8y
MemoirsForMe Oh yes! You live in such a beautiful area. I'm about 10 minutes from the beach in California and I'm there a couple times a week. Great location for reading and sanity. 😊👌🏻 8y
30 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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Rupinder
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review
SealedWithInk
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
Mehso-so

I didn't really know what to expect from this to be honest. I also found the title character, Zorba, an odd character indeed.

3 likes1 stack add
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SealedWithInk
Zorba the Greek (Revised) | Nikos Kazantzakis
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So this read is pretty much inspired by my boyfriend due to him sharing the name and the ethnicity 😛

2 likes1 stack add