Why Kazantzakis?

Commemorating sixty years from the passing of Nikos Kazantzakis

Sponsored by

the Hellenic Cultural Center of the Southwest

and the Hellenic Professional Society of Texas,

under the auspices of the

Consulate of Greece in HoustoN

McMurtry Auditorium Duncan Hall, Rice University

Houston, December 3, 2017, 6:00 p.m.

by

 Alex Kalamarides, Ph.D.

Abstract

More than an emblematic writer from Greece, sixty years after his death the Cretan Nikos Kazantzakis (1883-1957) endures as an international icon, celebrated through the famous cinematic – and occasionally controversial – renditions of his later novels, such as “Alexis Zorbás”, “Christ Recrucified” and “The Last Temptation of Christ”. In spite of the acclaim, critical opinions regarding the merits and meaning of his works have always diverged. In this commemoration, we will explore the philosophy, challenges and lifestyle that underlie Kazantzakis’ legacy, and will reflect on the eternal messages Kazantzakis has for all of us.