Conversing with Cavafy: Reflections on the Journey of Our Life

by Nicos Hadjicostis

"Nicos Hadjicostis’s Conversing with Cavafy is very insightful and it stirred me deeply. The book is a treasure that transcends our separate preoccupations to recall each of us to the urgent powers that drive mind and body, and illumines with passion and perplexity the intersection of personal fate and destiny. I am grateful for the genius of Cavafy, and the gift of Hadjicostis’s depth of insight, to bring us to reconsider our own brief transit on this spinning sphere." – James Hollis, Ph.D., Jungian Analyst and Author

"An engrossing book, Conversing with Cavafy takes us on a discerning and compassionate walk through the human condition while gently helping us give full expression to the best part of our natures. Hadjicostis elucidates our deepest longings and points out the expected challenges we will encounter in our efforts to 'inhabit the main highway' of our lives. Read this book to come home to yourself." – Sharon Lebell, author of The Art of Living and co-author with Brother David Steindl-Rast of The Music of Silence

"Nicos Hadjicostis reveals his soul of a philosopher as he expresses his reflections from years of journeying throughout the world and from his multidisciplinary studies. His writing style in Conversing with Cavafy conveys his thoughts so easefully that it seems like he is chatting with us in person…so that we find that we cannot help but feel inspired to relate his ideas and insights to our own lives." – Ron Leonard, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

"I admire how Hadjicostis expresses his reflections with assurance and authority in an engaging and well-shaped narrative, transforming life into art." – Bill Kelly, Ph.D., Intercultural Communication Lecturer at UCLA and author

Conversing with Cavafy explores themes that are central to the human condition and connects them with the poems of C.P. Cavafy and other writers and philosophers to elucidate important ideas pertaining to the philosophy of everyday life. What is our life’s main highway, and how is it related to our daily unremarkable set of chores and routines? How do we deal with the important junctures on our life’s-path? How can we change negative habits that keep us in destructive loops? What is the Creative Life, and how do we tap into it?

With such questions about life and the search for meaning abounding, it is ever more important to find inspiration from a unique voice. Conversing with Cavafy is a companion guide on the journey of becoming ourselves, a personal growth and self-improvement book that addresses life’s big questions. Hadjicostis draws inspiration from his extended life experiences, from poetry, psychology, philosophy, and more, and encourages us to reflect on our life in order to enrich it by making it more creative and meaningful.

Written in a simple and straightforward manner, Hadjicostis’s original explorations offer a different perspective on how to best manage life’s challenges and live more consciously, purposefully, and creatively.

138 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 28, 2024

About the author

Nicos Hadjicostis studied physics at King’s College, London. For over a decade he managed the largest media group in his birthplace, Cyprus. In 2003, he left his country in order to explore the world and himself. He is now a writer and a world-traveler. "Destination Earth – A New Philosophy of Travel by a World-Traveler" is his first book. For more information, visit http://nicoshadjicostis.com

Reviews

[Hannah Lindley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though this book is inspired by the work of twentieth century Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy, the ideas within it are unique and exciting. Poetry lovers should know that neither Cavafy’s work nor poetry in general is centric to this work. As the book’s subtitle suggests, the poetry within is about our “Life’s Journey,” covering a wide range of topics pertaining to the human condition. Cavafy’s poetry augments these philosophical struggles, making them more relatable to the average person’s struggles. This is practical philosophy at its best. The book could also be classified as a work of self-help, though the author’s writing style is deeper and more beautiful than most books in that genre. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I’m sure that you will, too.

[Liz Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend of mine recommended this new book to me. What a surprise! I haven't read a book that addresses many of my life issues so well! It's as if the writer addresses me directly, as if he knows what I'm thinking about. I think about my "two lives", and about the fact that the "Universe always seems to work against anything I do," and about the betrayals of my friends. He is right that ... connections are forever so that even the friends that have betrayed me are, in some sense, still in my life. I am in love with this book and there are chapters I've already read three times. It's one of those books that lingers in your mind long after you have read it.

[Carlos mutua · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that makes you think!

Conversing with Cavafy is a book that makes you think and reflect on your life. Eight chapters cover a variety of subjects from creativity to the meaning of personal connections and from channeling our energies to understanding how unconscious (or conscious) choices in our live often lead to small (or big) self betrays. I appreciated how the author uses Cavafy’s poems as a springboard to explore these ideas and more. It’s a unique approach to better understanding ourselves and our place in the world. It’s a true 5-star book!

[Amanda Bredenkamp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cafavy's poetry has always fascinated me because it is as if my own thoughts and feelings have been penned down in a way that I wish I could. Nico has made these poems even more true to oneself and one's own experiences that it feels like you are walking alongside him and chatting with him over a cup of steaming coffee. The book is captivating, deeply moving, introspective, and most of all cathartic. Just beautiful.

[Deirdre Dubois · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is rare to find a book that I would willingly reread, yet such is the case with Conversing with Cavafy. The book is packed with great ideas about personal growth, which the author weaves together with a selection of Cavafy poems. It's an enjoyable book that offers a new perspective with each reading—highly recommended!

[Valery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conversing with Cavafy is a great book that combines the poetry of Cavafy and practical philosophy. While reading it, I felt that the author was writing from a place of deep knowledge as if he struggled himself through various challenges and that Cavafy's poems helped him better understand these challenges. It's an eye-opening book that I highly recommend to others.

[Mia C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conversing with Cavafy is practical philosophy at its very best. The author examines a variety of subjects that are related to the philosophy of everyday life, many of which I too had thought about. As a very social person, I found the chapter "Connections Are Forever" particularly enlightening. Highly recommended.

[Kyla Bower · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written book with smart, thought-provoking ideas that stay in your thoughts long after you finish it.

[Luci L · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very insightful book that interweaves poetry with ideas and got me thinking about my life choices and direction. It's a unique approach to self-reflection!