Kazantzakis reports that he met Zorbas in Crete and that the events described in the book took place there. But the historical truth is that everything happened in Stoupa of Mani, in the Kalogria beach and Prastava, where the lignite mines were. When the author was asked, he replied: "In Mani I met wonderful people, but I only lived there for a while. I know Crete well, I carry it inside me."