About
Nikos Kazantzakis was born in Heraklion, Crete, then under Ottoman rule. After studying law in Athens and philosophy in Paris, he held government positions and worked for UNESCO. He is best known for his novels, including 'Zorba the Greek' and 'The Last Temptation of Christ', which explore existential and spiritual themes. His magnum opus, 'The Odyssey', is a modern epic of 33,333 verses. He was nominated nine times for the Nobel Prize in Literature without winning. He died in Germany in 1957 and is buried in Crete.
* 1883-02-18 — † 1957-10-26
Major works
- Zorba the Greek (1946)novel
- Christ Recrucified (1948)novel
- The Last Temptation of Christ (1955)novel
- The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel (1938)epic poem
- Report to Greco (1961)autobiography
Key milestones
- 1919Appointed Director General of the Greek Ministry of Social Welfare, he oversaw the repatriation of approximately 150,000 Pontic Greeks.
- 1956Received the International Peace Award in Vienna.
- 1957Died in Freiburg im Breisgau, West Germany; he is buried in Heraklion, Crete.
Themes
FreedomSpiritualityExistentialismGreek identityHuman struggle
Sources: kazantzaki.gr · britannica.com · nikoskazantzakisestate.org
