Nikos Kazantzakis Books

My biggest disappointment was that the online description did not accurately describe the contents of the book. I ordered a 'used' copy supposedly in 'excellent' condition. The book I received had considerable handwritten notes in it! When I expressed my total dissatisfaction with the order I was given a total refund which I did appreciate very much.

N. Kazantzakis:"I know well that death cannot be conquered, but man's value is not measured by the Victory, but from the fight for Victory itself. And I know as well this, which is even more difficult: its not the fight for Victory - its only the value of the man, and is this: to live and die gallantly and to not condescent a reward. And further this, the third, which is even more difficult, the certainty that there is no reward should not scare you, but fill you with joy, pride, and bravery..."

The name Nikos Kazantzakis is anathema to so many; countless Americans probably only know him as the man who authored the book "The Last Temptation of Christ" on which the controversial (and widely demonized) movie was based. There was much more to this man than met the eye, however. Such Americans don't know the reader of Nietzsche and Bergson, the man who idolized both Christ and Lenin as saviors of humanity, the brooding genius whose incisive glacial intellect was perpetually at war with the hot blood of his idealism and passion. A fascinating and fragmented character who ascended the peaks and explored the dark valleys of human experience more than most, Kazantzakis commits pen to paper here with a spirituality that will haunt the reader; it is more alive and explosive than any camp-meeting revival. Writing with a distinctly modernist tone of world-smashing and revolution akin to Marx and with a racy, frenetic, hot-blooded pace which D.H. Lawrence would've admired, Kazantzakis introduces us to HIS idea of God: not the friendly father figure of Christian lore, but the turbulent, primordial drive for life and change within the universe, striving (successfully, through sometimes violent fits and starts) to ascend, to create, to thrive, to "transubstantiate matter into spirit". More akin to Bergson's idea of "elan vital", this is a series of spell-binding meditations that most mainline believers of any stripe probably wouldn't like; precisely because it scares the living daylights out of you with its frightening possibilities and its sirens' call of seemingly chaotic life-affirming zest. The late Kazantzakis beckons to us across the void, urging us to take the plunge and gaze into that vortex without fear, even though we will lose all we are in the process.

I really like the author and I saw this book in a used bookstore and didn't get it. But then I couldn't get it out of my mind. So I went back to get it and I'm glad I did. It is a strong and moving book. He expresses the thoughts of someone who sees nothing but God. His life is God. This has nothing to do with any religion, as it is above a set of rules or beliefs. I can relate to him. Get the book if you can.

"Nonsense" is a very draft and cruel word to characterize an attempt to describe the CHAOS. For that's what this book is. How can one describe the Chaos, the human agony for the purpose of life? Every time you visualize yourself as a tiny dot (equals to nothing compared to the universe) and you ask the all-time-big-questions, you fill the fear. If you want to ease your heart, read the bible, or whatever the holy book of your religion (we all do in times of despair). You will be reassured for the absolute truth for all your questions and fears. But if you want to keep your eyes open and dare to look at the chaos this book will be a good companion. It is not perfect, but is the best attempt I know. Using Kazantzakis' words from "Report to Greco", the author is "facing the chaos and says I like it!"

The setting is a Greek villiage deep in the interior of Anatolia in the early part of the twentieth century at the twilight of the Ottoman Empire. The colorful imagary, vibrant characters, humor, lustiness, and spirituality are present in this novel just as they are in Zorba the Greek. It's a wonderful read. If you loved the Zorba novel, you will also love The Greek Passion. I don't want to tell you the theme of the novel because that would surely spoil it for you. I didn't realize Kazantzakis' message until almost the last chapter. It was not a complete surprise, but then I wasn't expecting it either. What I can say, is that every person who calls themselves Greek should read this book. It was written specifically for you, so get going and read. As for the others in this forum, this may seem odd, but I don't recommend this book for you. This novel does not have a universal theme. Unless you are Greek or very familiar with Greek history and the Greek character, you will not realize the meaning of this novel and gain full appreciation of its genius. Some may disagree, but that's all I can say without divulging too much.

As with all his books, rich imagery. Not as good as "last temptation of Christ" I was stuck by the cruelty that the hero Manolios did to the woman who sacrifice her life for him. He is all politically correct and lukewarm to her. Even when she died he didnot feel slightest trace of sadness but went around saying that he envied her because she is in heaven. If that is what follow Christ lead to I want no part of Christianity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kazantzakis masterfully transcribes the many trials and tribulations of a Greek Mountain Village. He definitely digs deep into the contradiction that is religion and life. While many have been turned off by Kazantzakis' realism(commotion raised by "The Last Temptation of Christ" being turned into a movie), it would most certainly be to their advantage to read Kazantzakis for the characters which he creates. To this end Kazantzakis is unparalelled(If you haven't already, score yourself a copy of "Zorba the Greek" to see what I mean. His concentration on the evils that guide men through their actions really makes this novel move. In the end we are left to ask ourselves if these characters, and this mountain village really exist or not. The answer--You tell me.

I think there is no doubt that in this book the writer tells the story for the whole world not just for Greece.The story happens in a little village that is a sign of the whole world. Kazantzakis tells us a story of a cruel man who just likes to kill people.We can clearly see the scream of the author for liberity.He tells us that living like Jesus has it's own way which is fighting for truth and against the lies.
I think that by reading this book we can not stay silence anymore against the lies in our world.

_The Greek Passion_ is a work of art written by a genius who undeniably knew his own people. Nikos Kazantzakis transports the story of the passion of Jesus Christ to a Greek village that is under the control of the Turks during the final years of the Ottoman Empire. This version of the passion is one of great beauty and is told with tremendous fervor and emotion. Here, a simple, innocent shepard receives blame for, then accepts personal responsibility for the sins of his neighbors so that their lives may be spared. The shepard and his followers are called bolsheviks and worse because they believe that a band of starving refugees from another village, which includes children with distended bellies, should be fed and clothed from the storehouses and the homes of some of the wealthy community elders. Two aspects of religion are shown:
a hypocritical priest who is so concerned with protecting his power and authority that he panders to the enemy, a Turkish Agha, over the welfare of the Greek people; and, a saintly priest, who acts in the true spirit of Christianity by endeavoring to relieve his peoples' suffering. The forces of these two disparate priests eventually clash and the results are both tragic and heartbreaking. It is apparent that very little has changed since the time of Jesus. Special interests are still putting up road blocks to prevent the meek from inheriting the earth. _The Greek Passion_ is a novel that the admirers of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and perhaps even Jesus Christ, himself, would love.