قصة الكتاب :
Zorba the Greek is a novel by Cretan author Nikos Kazantzakis. It was first published in 1946 and is about a young Englishman who attempts to escape his routine existence with the help of the enigmatic Alexis Zorba. Originally published in Greek, the novel has subsequently been translated into English and has earned its place in the modern literary canon. It has received widespread international acclaim and is credited with the creation of one of the most memorable literary characters.

\r\nThe story is narrated in the voice of the unnamed young man. Zorba is a man in his sixties and the young man is half his age, yet it is Zorba who is brimming with life and enthusiasm. He is a hard-working Greek miner, a passionate lover, a brave fighter, a soulful adventurer and musician. He cooks with interest, loves telling tales around the fire and is seen dancing at times to express things he cannot put into mere words. Zorba has had a family and several lovers, has fought in the Balkan wars and is a simple yet deep man who has lived every moment of his life completely and loved without shame. In the story that unfolds, the two men spend a year together. Zorba manages the lignite mine that the young man is financing in his attempt to get closer to working-class men. The narrator admires these men, whose genuine lives he is impressed with but cannot emulate. Zorba is a man enriched by the sights and smells and sounds around him. He carries the santuri, a musical instrument, with him at all times and takes care of it. The odd friendship that develops between the two main characters in this story drives the plot. As the friendship grows deeper, the young Englishman finds himself enriched and transformed, as does the reader. Although the tale is set on a Greek island and should naturally be a good summer read, this story unfolds differently. As much as it captures life through Zorba, it also talks of many deaths – of butterflies and of people. The novel, in a strange way, implies that you put it down and go out there and enjoy life. The passivity of the narrator is condemned and stands in contrast with the exuberance that characterizes Zorba, who is himself in many ways an embodiment of the belief that there’s only so much books can tell a reader about life. To get a taste of what it’s really about, one has to experience things first-hand.\r\n

\r\nAt a deeper level, the novel is also about God and man, and the struggles mortal man faces in this life as he attempts to find his soul and purpose. It is also a story about love, faith and courage. Zorba the Greek has been adapted into a successful film, a stage musical and a radio play. It is one of the most life-affirming novels of our time. \r\n