Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic self discovery novel
Review: This novel should be looked at in two ways. First, as a masterful charcter sketch of an aging man who refuses to let time get the better of him. Zorba is a complex character who, frankly, is not always in the right. Initially he appears as the macho, almost stereotypical male. He is a womanizer (widows only) who does not think women are capable of any complex thought or understanding what is means to be a man. Despite this, Zorba is unable to destroy the fragile emotions of a local widow and becomes engaged to her. He feigns disinterest when she later dies, but is privately disconsolate. Zorba was a good soldier who now has developed a disdain for killing and defends the weak. He voices his distrust of organized religion, yet thanks God when fortunate things happen. Kazantzakis, like Thomas Hardy in his later novels, does not allow the reader to completely like or understand a character - they are dynamic and constantly revealing new traits.Second, this is a novel of self discovery and developing inner strength. Through the living side-by-side with Zorba, the narrator discovers that he has, in essence, wasted his life - he has not yet lived. By changing his views and adopting Zorba's philospohy of living for the experiences of life, the narrator is forced to admit he is wrong and has been wrong for many years. He learns the life is meant to be lived, not idled away. People learn by experiencing things, one is not able to life vicariously through superficial possessions or relationships. We must live optimistically and look forward to the future. This is an excellent novel that has a sensual, lyric translation. Kazantzakis weaves his philopshical beliefs seamlessly into his narrative -". . . it is a mortal sin to violate the great loves of nature. We should not hurry, we should not be impatient, but we should confidently obey the eternal rhythm."
Rating:
Summary: Remarkable!
Review: This is a book of unfathomable depth. It's definitely a life-changer!
Rating:
Summary: Is Zorba admirable?
Review: In some books the question of whether we should admire the characters is irrelevant. The author can stand back and say "these are fictional characters and whether they are good people or bad people is of no concern." This book, however, is very much a novel of ideas. The conflict is between the earthy hedonism of Zorba and the metaphysical philosophizing of the narrator. Zorba converts him to his way of thinking. We are invited to admire Zorba. Yet Zorba's actions have included killing and torturing men who have a different religion ("Turks" although Cretan Moslems were indigenous Greek speakers). He now says he is ashamed but does that make him admirable? He has apparently deserted his family (although towards the end of the book he is described as a widower and remarries).
Rating: 
Summary: Zorba, the essence of life
Review: The whole book is a dialogue between Zorba: an incidentally found Greek friend and the Englishman.Zorba tries to explain what life means to him and howmuch different is this from what his friend understands from life.His message is clear:life is short and fragile and paradoxically this tragically short time, contributes to its beauty.If life was indefinite the meaning of everything would be different to us.We have to do our best for there is no other chance to live once again.The Englishman is somehow overly serious on everything and does not consider the fact that nothing in life deserves such seriousness.Zorba teaches him some important lessons which can not be found in any book.He shows to him how to enjoy genuine aspects of life like love,music and eating.Zorba is in fact reflecting the mentality of Greek people. This mentality is in sharp contrast with the rest of Europe, specially England: where his friend comes from.
Rating:
Summary: Friendship as constellation
Review: Aman! Yia sou! Poli oraia! Right. This book possesses the finest qualities of _Ulysses_ (the haphazardly beautiful friendship of Stephen/bloom), the wildly earnest metaphysical meandering of Kerouac (Japhy/Ray) and the Buddha drunk on pine-tar wine. IMO (insert self-effacing smiling face and other phases of internet talk BS) this book accomplishes the greatest navigation of human friendships as of any book ever written. It's breathless in its interiority, wild in its judgements, ecstatic in its ODE TO JOY! Even Beethoven would smile. It's pure. I make no apologies as is expected of Post-modern (pomo promo insert academic jargon here) as others do. Yes, there's a thoroughly male component: women, why do men cry for them? why do people believe in love? why is beauty something talk of? why do men prowl? why do people say they want kindness but choose sexual aggresion instead? why do women prowl? what is a broken heart?) Zorba is unabashedly the believer of physical experience with the body, no shame or capital P Poetry along the way. *which is why he gets the most sex in the book, as opposed to the studious and gentle anonymity of the narrator*. The opinions of love are cruel, mysterious, and humbling. If you ever spent a lonely night reading a book rather than enraptured in a flurry of arms, you'll know what the narrator is on about. I can only acknowledge the deafining, if not discomforting, truth of Zorba's opinions of the flesh. Yes, it cheeses people off. (Probably because he's right most of the time.) I hardly ever write reviews: they tend to be psuedo-philosophical blether. This book is cruel and enraptured. It's one of the finest stories of friendship ever written. if God exists, he/she wrote this book. Humanity, in its use of cluster bombs and tax-supported violence, owes its continued survival to men like Kazantzakis. Otherwise, the world's cheap condoms, mobile phones, and the men/women who thinks a four-button suit and swishy pleated skirts equates salvation. Thank you, Nikos. You did the work others only lie about. See you on Athos~!!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: Usually I find annoying books that don't have plots, and are incidental events one after the other, claimed as masterpieces. Well, this book is just a bunch of events that coalesce vaguely into a narrative arc...and it's a masterpiece. The prose writing if first-rate, and the contrast between Zorba and the narrator's characters is striking. I wish I had the passion of Zorba...but alas, I'm sitting here in front of the computer instead of seducing beautiful women!
Rating:
Summary: I publicly admit....
Review: I will make myself a fool in front of the public and admit that I , a grown up man, cried at the end of the book. That is the strength of Kazantakis, his humanism, his pure and honest writting and his wisdom. He is one of the most important writters-philosophers-humanists-intellectuals of history and he was denied the Nobel Prize only because of his political beliefs. This book will make you wiser and it will teach you lessons that you will carry along your entire life. This is Kazantzakis.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books ever written
Review: Read it for its spirituality, read it for its thought-provocation, but most of all, read it for its joy. "Zorba the Greek" is an inherently and unendingly positive book that will make any reader want to reap all the rewards of one's life. Mandatory for beatniks and hipsters, intellectuals and philosophers, drop-outs and junkies, professionals and brokers alike.
Rating:
Summary: A timeless work of art
Review: From start to finish this book held my undivided attention and left me speechless. Kazantzakis has created one of the most beautiful, poetic works of fiction since The Brothers Karamazov. Every page is filled with vibrant verse and stunning detail. It is a true testament to the human spirit and it will have you looking at things in everyday life in a whole new light.
Rating: 
Summary: The serious hedonism of Alexis Zorba
Review: 'Zorba the Greek' is a highly philosophical novel with very little plot. The narrative voice is that of an unnamed, bookish man of 35, and it is mainly engaged in contrasting his contemplative and introspective inner life with the worldview of his older friend Alexis Zorba. Zorba's motto could very well be the Latin dictum 'carpe diem' (seize the day) with a strong hedonistic component, but it goes beyond that because he is also concerned about ultimate causes and the nature of God and the presence of evil in the world. As a result of the contrasting views, the novel has a meditative and somewhat slow rhythym to it, but at the same time it is engaging and enjoyable. Certainly since Kazantzakis wrote 'Zorba the Greek' many attitudes have changed, and some readers might find the novel out of date and even reactionary in some regards. This is especially true of how women are portrayed in the novel. However, there is also the element of cultural gaps that are not easily bridged. Greek culture has always had a strong patriarchal component, and most probably Kazantzakis was trying to provide as accurate a picture as possible of a simple man with a lust for life within the context of that culture. What in the end emerges is a very Greek novel that captures interesting cultural and societal nuances at the beginning of the Twentieth Century. I don't know any Greek, but it seems to me that Carl Wildman's translation of the novel flows effortlessly and doesn't seem contrived. Wildman also provides footnotes in certain occasions, thus clarifying terms that might be obscure to Western readers.
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