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This is a most welcome discussion of Kazantzakis's Opus magnum which would certainly motivate readers to give it a try; well done. If you are still interested in the topic Kazantzakis-Joyce there are two helpful sources, both written by William Bedell Stanford: a book called «The Ulysses theme», where in the 15th chapter («The Re-intergrated hero») there is a discussion on both Kazantzakis's and Joyce's portraits of Odysseus/Ulysses, as well as an article called «No Rest for Ulysses - from Homer to Kazantzakis». I'm sure you can find them easily - the article, at least, I was able to find it online. At the end of that article W. B. Stanford wrote this closing remark: "Mr. Friar has completed his task with a generously informative introduction, a synopsis of the story and notes full of out-of-the- way folklore. Metrists will find stimulating new material in his discussion of rhythms. Few authors have been so fortunate as Kazantzakis in having a poet, scholar, and disciple, as their first translator. The bigger the work of art, and the longer the tradition behind it, the harder it is to see it in a true perspective. Quantitatively there is no doubt that this is the largest version of the Odyssey ever made. And qualitatively? It will take a generation of readers and critics to decide this. The present writer can only say that after long study it still seems to rank with Joyce’s Ulysses as one of the great literary achievements of this century both as a development of the traditional Ulysses theme and - what matters much more - as a work of creative imagination." There is also another interesting video, another short introduction to this work, where Nichola Crocetti (he translated the epic into Italian in 2020) talks about Kazantzakis and his Odyssey. The discussion starts at 26:13 ruclips.net/video/XgNJYHyXM58/видео.html V. Folio, you did a very nice job by introducing here on YT this masterful work, which deserves a much more wide appreciation indeed. With appreciation and greetings from Greece.

Calasso was the last of the wise men

DON'T COMMENT on Haruki Murakami unless u have read his full list !! The TRUTH is that his famous books - Norwegian Wood, Kafka, Wind-up bird, 1Q84 are NOT his Best at all. His BEST BOOKS are : 1. Killing Commendatore 2. After Dark 3. Hard-boiled Wonderland 4. Wild Sheep Chase 5. Sputnik Sweetheart 6. Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki Etc. They are matchless stories of Beauty 🤗

This is how I would rank the books: 1. Never Let Me Go 2. Klara and the Sun 3. An Artist of the Floating World 4. The Remains of the Day 5. A Pale View of Hills 6. Nocturnes 7. When We Were Orphans 8. The Buried Giant 9. The Unconsoled

Based King Crimson Enjoyer

Almost Transparent Blue is about $40 USD on Amazon as of spring '24.

I’m surprised (just because you appear to be knowledgeable about, and enthralled by, this guy) that you haven’t read “Saviours of God.” I only just heard of Kazantzakis yesterday, and just finished it. It’s beautiful mytho-poetic rambling, if you’re into that sorta thing. Anyway, good video (except did you say that Camus won a Nobel Prize in the 20’s?! Wasn’t he born in 1914😂), and I’m taking your advice and gonna dive into Zorba rn

Just as I was reading the Odissey for the first time, glad yo have news of your aliveness, liked the way you tied to robert fripps, massive kc fan as well :)

After reading and enjoying quite a few of the books you talked about in the past, i'm always looking forward to new videos from you. Thanks a lot and keep up the good work.

I think you and I have the exact same taste in books. I also absolutely can’t stand how repetitive HM is and utterly adore RM, struggling to get all my friends to read him.

The hands are back !

I hadn't thought of the Odyssey in terms of hospitality before, but now that you mention it it seems obvious.

Come on man, wtf. I just opened up this book last week lmao. Having done a deep dive on the Cantos recently, I can only hope (but see no evidence) that Ezra Pound and Kazantzakis read each other. Odysseus tackled from all angles in the 20th century. Anyway, another great video.

Where are those hands? hope you do more videos in the future.

One of the greatest of moderns. This video is a good short account of his work to assist prospective readers choose which work is best for them.

Did anyone compare Kazantzakis and Marquez?

great video l, feel the same way

I'm reading Almost Transparent Blue and I really like it. I watched Audition years ago so I'll go on a Ryū binge.

So the penguin version is thé entire version of the original book? Not the chopped up version of the book he made later on?

Another thing about Ryu is, he’s not a one trick pony. In the Miso Soup is terrifying and deeply disturbing, while 69 is one of the best-and most hilarious portrayals of teenage boys and Popular Hits of the Showa Era is both hilarious and disturbing.

Patrick white a mesmerising writer, Voss, the aunts story, the tree of man phenomenon literature

Ryu Murakami is one of my favorite authors of all time. It's such a shame he's not very popular outside of Audition. I cried so many times reading Coin Locker Babies and it's currently sitting on my top 3 favorite foreign literature novels, and it's in my top 10 novels of all time. His writing style is so raw and unfiltered, but not in an edgy teen way - in a realistic, gritty way. I read In The Miso Soup and was genuinely horrified of how Ryu is able to project these images onto pages of nothing but text so well. Piercing is on my want to read list, and I'm really looking forward to it. I love reading foreign literature, especially Japan's - because they didn't have the surge of censorship that the states and Russia had after WWII and during The Cold War. Japanese literature, especially it's horror section, is just so much more intimate than most American novellas. Japan's authors have never been afraid to push the envelope about their society and conventions.. but Ryu stands out above the rest because he is not afraid to tap into the darker places of the psyche, something he does unbelievably well. I'm autistic and literature is my special interest, and I find most novels boring. But Ryu scratches that itch I have for surreal and gritty material. Truly an outstanding author I think every book lover should check out at least once.. Again, it's such a shame he's not very popular, his novels really change you. Any enthusiast of Ryu Murakami is good in my book, you got a new subscriber

I salute you for having a critical take but I have to disagree. Simple style does not equal bad. Lack of a clear message or emotional detachment does not equal bad. Lack of edgy subject matter or style does not equal bad. Popularity does not equal bad. And the bingo game could be played with any prolific author.

Beautiful. Thank you!

Just a small correction: Christ Recrucified does NOT take place on the Greek mainland. It takes place in a small village in Asia Minor (Modern Day Turkey) during the Greek genocides of the early 1900s. Really important to detail as it gives a extra layer of context that comes in handy when things get ugly.

'In the Twenties he lost it ( the Nobel Prize) to Camus'. Really? That hardly inspires confidence in your research.

Zorba the Greek. Love his writing.

Nice

"(...) _with Mel Gibbson (...)"... ruclips.net/video/jca4TchXelE/видео.html Thanks for the introduction into Kazantzakis - the background of Greek _nationalism_ was Ottoman rule since the modern age, still holds true when contemplating _bloody_ emancipation from *_Transatlantic colonialism_* ...

Wow Mr. Folio. I will now stop having long arguments about theory with people on twitter. 👰‍♂👰‍♂👰‍♂

i agree ❤✊🏽

I am partially drunk and writing a 'novel' while listening to this lol.

Hermes has "Intelligence" but Tiresias has "Wisdom"

I love Murakami for his simple style in prose (I read his book in Russian, by the way)

The Mel Gibson Jesus movie was a bloody bit of sadistic pornography called *_The Passion of The Christ_* It was so graphically violent that a movie critic, David Edelstein, referred to it as, _"The Jesus Chainsaw Massacre"_

I absolutely loved your video, Ryu needs more spotlight, his way of writing about the violence and nature of people is breathtaking. New fan from Chile! ♥️

2:27 8:05 19:04 24:21

Good seeing you again. I kind of feel the same way sometimes about feeling like it's hard to feel like I'm making a "good point" so I don't post much at all. I think there's some value in it though, even for a small audience, whatever medium you go with.

Just post the poetry and prose!

Have you read "From the Fatherland, with love"? I'm looking forward to read it but people say that it's quite a difficult book :/

Drivel

I saw The Title and subscribed instantly, I fucking LOVE Ryu's books, I'll never understand why he isn't the more popular one.

Well informed. Thanks

If Haruki Murakami wasn’t a mainstream writer who’s paperbacks aren’t found in most fiction sections in most bookstores, I’d be curious to see if your critique of him would be the same.

What or who is the Beatle in the box?

I've read all of his stuff in English up to The Book of all Books-- what few words to say here? His books are intended for those who are both obsessed with literature and addicted to--oh, I don't know--speculating or rather wondering about life in all its academically divided intellectualized aspects? What I get from Calasso is that though the human condition *never* changes essentially, technological advances (advances in prostheses) enable 'us' both to re-imagine this fact in the present (in terms that suggest either novelty or progress, both inadequate) and sweep under the table those perennial non-desideratums like old age, death, and sacrifice via institutional absorption, i.e. to hide them in old folks homes, hospitals, research labs, et al. That is, to remove them as 'facts of life' from modern media-saturated consciousnesses, thereby 'gaining time' (consider the myth at the heart of Kasch) by allowing the lie to swell (progress!) or, if you prefer, the story to go on. My favorites are Ka and The Celestial Hunter (Lord, send me a Gopi!); the only one that I found a little wanting was the Baudelaire book, but it was only a touch disappointing: it just never really arrives. I have since read Duff Cooper's classic Life of Talleyrand, which I recommend, as well as Crane Brinton's book, same subject. Another author to read if you like his stuff is Claudio Magris, especially Danube.

I read A Pale View Of Hills earlier this week. I’d say it’s a fairly devastating work, particularly for a debut novel. In many ways, he arrived fully formed as a writer; but you don’t give it much attention here. Nevertheless, this is the most insightful Intro to KI I’ve seen on the internet. Well done!

Man, saying that H. Murakami is the "literary" equivalent of fastfood, read by uneducated brutes in the subway or when taking a dump, makes you the BEST reviewer ever. I tried to read the bastard many times but could never get beyond the first couple of pages. His writing is cheap, and he himself said that he is always writing the same novel over and over again, which makes him an incompetent loser. The guy should have never dabbled in literature or written a word, he is a literary VIRUS par excellence. I trust your authentic knowledge of literature 👍👍👍

Wonderful video

You make some valid points about HM here- he is certainly’readable’ - but to dismiss him as ‘junk food’ is surely a bit rich. If HM is junk food, what are Grisham and Child?