‘Sacred Awe’ – on discovering ‘Zorba the Greek’ late in middle age
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Loading... - Jose Rumos
- 17 Mar 2023
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Arriving at the front door of an old book is often the last act in a sequence of accidental events. A case in point: a holiday that exposes you to an unfamiliar culture or geography may awaken interest in its great writers, unexpectedly bringing to life names that for decades have lain dormant at the back of your awareness. Suddenly they become relevant and alluring.
That’s what led me to Alexis Zorba, the larger-than-life character who occupies centre stage in a novel that sadly does not stand alongside other “classics” in bookstores like Exclusive Books.
It should. I had to order it to bring it back to South Africa’s shores.
Once it’s safely stowed, getting through a classic is often the start of another journey. But, as I realised halfway through reading Zorba, the challenge is not to “get through it”, but to delve into it.
To linger.
Long.
In this respect it’s a little like walking in the mountains. There’s a lot of trepidation before you start. Then the path can be full of delight and danger, light and darkness. You may get lost. You might even abandon the path and scurry home to a place of familiarity and comfort.
But if you do, you lose. Read More..
