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2022: A脩O SARAMAGOJos茅 Saramago narra el ins贸lito viaje del elefante Salom贸n a trav茅s de la Europa del siglo XVI
Una aventura 茅pica llena de humanidad, humor y sabidur铆a
芦Siempre acabamos llegando a donde nos esperan禄.Libro de los Itinerarios
A mediados del siglo XVI el rey Juan III ofrece a su primo, el archiduque Maximiliano de Austria, un elefante asi谩tico. Esta novela cuenta el viaje 茅pico de ese elefante llamado Salom贸n que tuvo que recorrer Europa por caprichos reales y absurdas estrategias.
El viaje del elefante no es un libro hist贸rico, es una combinaci贸n de hechos reales e inventados que nos hace sentir la realidad y la ficci贸n como una unidad indisoluble, como algo propio de la gran literatura. Una reflexi贸n sobre el sentido de la vida humana,con sus afanes, desvelos y ambiciones, con su irremisible final, en la que el humor y la iron铆a, marcas de la implacable lucidez del autor, se unen a la compasi贸n con la que Jos茅 Saramago observa las flaquezas humanas.
La cr铆tica ha 芦Una deslumbrante comedia humana, llena de risas, emoci贸n y sabidur铆a禄.Le Monde desLivres
芦Una obra maestra de la iron铆a y la empat铆a entre seres humanos禄.Los Angeles Times
芦Saramago vuelve comprensible una realidad huidiza, con par谩bolas sostenidas por la imaginaci贸n, la compasi贸n y la iron铆a禄. Comit茅 Nobel
芦Un hombre con una sensibilidad y una capacidad de ver y de entender que est谩n muy por encima de lo que en general vemos y entendemos los comunes mortales禄. H茅ctor Abad Faciolince
芦Saramago es un ejemplo, un estilo dign铆simo de vida y literatura, que demuestra la posibilidad de navegar a contracorriente [...]. Su palabra tiene el valor de un anticongelante, de un remedio personal contra los vendavales de cinismo que nos envuelven禄. Luis Garc铆a Montero
芦Yo no s茅, ni quiero saberlo, de d贸nde ha sacado Saramago ese diab贸lico tono narrativo, duro y piadoso a un tiempo, [...] que le permite contar tan cerca del coraz贸n y a la vez tan cerca de la historia禄. Luis Landero
芦Saramago escribe novelas sobre los mitos para desmitificarlos, [...] siempre para abordar la realidad que le rodea, para tratar de los problemas actuales que son de todos, y para que todo quede claro desde el principio禄. Rafael Conte, Babelia
芦Como G眉nter Grass o Cees Nooteboom, Saramago aspira a enlazar con un p煤blico que desborde l铆mites nacionales禄.El Pa铆s
Una aventura 茅pica llena de humanidad, humor y sabidur铆a
芦Siempre acabamos llegando a donde nos esperan禄.Libro de los Itinerarios
A mediados del siglo XVI el rey Juan III ofrece a su primo, el archiduque Maximiliano de Austria, un elefante asi谩tico. Esta novela cuenta el viaje 茅pico de ese elefante llamado Salom贸n que tuvo que recorrer Europa por caprichos reales y absurdas estrategias.
El viaje del elefante no es un libro hist贸rico, es una combinaci贸n de hechos reales e inventados que nos hace sentir la realidad y la ficci贸n como una unidad indisoluble, como algo propio de la gran literatura. Una reflexi贸n sobre el sentido de la vida humana,con sus afanes, desvelos y ambiciones, con su irremisible final, en la que el humor y la iron铆a, marcas de la implacable lucidez del autor, se unen a la compasi贸n con la que Jos茅 Saramago observa las flaquezas humanas.
La cr铆tica ha 芦Una deslumbrante comedia humana, llena de risas, emoci贸n y sabidur铆a禄.Le Monde desLivres
芦Una obra maestra de la iron铆a y la empat铆a entre seres humanos禄.Los Angeles Times
芦Saramago vuelve comprensible una realidad huidiza, con par谩bolas sostenidas por la imaginaci贸n, la compasi贸n y la iron铆a禄. Comit茅 Nobel
芦Un hombre con una sensibilidad y una capacidad de ver y de entender que est谩n muy por encima de lo que en general vemos y entendemos los comunes mortales禄. H茅ctor Abad Faciolince
芦Saramago es un ejemplo, un estilo dign铆simo de vida y literatura, que demuestra la posibilidad de navegar a contracorriente [...]. Su palabra tiene el valor de un anticongelante, de un remedio personal contra los vendavales de cinismo que nos envuelven禄. Luis Garc铆a Montero
芦Yo no s茅, ni quiero saberlo, de d贸nde ha sacado Saramago ese diab贸lico tono narrativo, duro y piadoso a un tiempo, [...] que le permite contar tan cerca del coraz贸n y a la vez tan cerca de la historia禄. Luis Landero
芦Saramago escribe novelas sobre los mitos para desmitificarlos, [...] siempre para abordar la realidad que le rodea, para tratar de los problemas actuales que son de todos, y para que todo quede claro desde el principio禄. Rafael Conte, Babelia
芦Como G眉nter Grass o Cees Nooteboom, Saramago aspira a enlazar con un p煤blico que desborde l铆mites nacionales禄.El Pa铆s
246 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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About the author
Jos茅 Saramago
311听books16k听followersJos茅 de Sousa Saramago (16 November 1922 鈥� 18 June 2010) was a Portuguese novelist and recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Literature, for his "parables sustained by imagination, compassion and irony [with which he] continually enables us once again to apprehend an elusory reality." His works, some of which have been seen as allegories, commonly present subversive perspectives on historic events, emphasizing the theopoetic. In 2003 Harold Bloom described Saramago as "the most gifted novelist alive in the world today."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,674 reviews
December 26, 2024
Cronicarul ziarului El Pais a caracterizat romanul lui Saramago ca 鈥瀠n triumf al limbajului, imagina葲iei 葯i umorului鈥�. 脦i dau dreptate...
Deci, mi-am f膬cut o imagine despre acest mic roman 葯i despre autor. Cunosc deja fraza lui arborescent膬, cu 卯ntors膬turi ironice (葯i concluzii nea葯teptate), 葯tiu c膬 scrie numele personajelor cu liter膬 mic膬 (jo茫o III, regele portugaliei, catarina de austria, so葲ia preapioas膬 a regelui jo茫o, supranumit el 卯nsu葯i mai t卯rziu 鈥瀋el pios鈥�, maximilian, v膬rul reginei catarina, solomon, elefantul, subhro, cornacul, adic膬 卯ngrijitorul lui etc.). 葮tiu c膬 descrie c膬l膬toria unui elefant (darul de nunt膬 al perechii regale portugheze pentru arhiducele Maximilian) de la curtea din Lisabona 葯i p卯n膬 la curtea din Viena, 卯n anul 1551. 葮i mai 葯tiu c膬 bietul solomon va ajunge cu bine, dup膬 un drum foarte dificil prin 葲inuturile aride ale Spaniei, prin ora葯ele Italiei, pe mare 葯i prin trec膬torile friguroase ale Alpilor. C膬l膬toria s-a petrecut cu adev膬rat 葯i a fost consemnat膬 de istorici. Pornind de la faptul istoric s膬rac, Saramago a 卯nchipuit o poveste 葯i ne ofer膬 detaliile concrete.
Cel mai amuzant personaj din roman nu este elefantul, nici arhiducele maximilian, ci povestitorul, care e foarte locvace, chiar euforic, 葯i ne 卯nva葲膬 la fiece pas cum s膬 citim aceast膬 carte 葯i ce s膬 g卯ndim despre lume 葯i via葲膬, 卯n general. Exper葲ii 卯n post-modernism ar zice c膬 procedeul e agasant: naratorul e prea guraliv. Nefiind un expert 卯n post-modernism, m膬 ab葲in. Ar mai fi de men葲ionat o minune a elefantului (sau a sf卯ntului anton prin intermediul elefantului solomon). Ajuns 卯n fa葲a basilicii sus-numitului sf卯nt anton din padova, elefantul 卯ngenuncheaz膬 smerit 葯i spune, 卯n tain膬, o rug膬ciune latineasc膬. Dac膬 nici asta nu mai este o minune veritabil膬, eu chiar nu 葯tiu ce v-ar putea mul葲umi, dragii mei cititori agnostici...
De pus 卯n paralel膬 cu Ivo Andri膰, Povestea cu elefantul vizirului (Polirom, 2020). 葮i cu Elif Shafak, Ucenicul arhitectului (Polirom, 2015). De la Hannibal care a trecut Alpii pe spinarea acestor mon葯tri 葯i a 卯nsp膬im卯ntat Roma (卯n anul 218 卯.e.n.), elefan葲ii i-au obsedat mereu
pe cronicari...
(3, 5 stelu葲e).
Deci, mi-am f膬cut o imagine despre acest mic roman 葯i despre autor. Cunosc deja fraza lui arborescent膬, cu 卯ntors膬turi ironice (葯i concluzii nea葯teptate), 葯tiu c膬 scrie numele personajelor cu liter膬 mic膬 (jo茫o III, regele portugaliei, catarina de austria, so葲ia preapioas膬 a regelui jo茫o, supranumit el 卯nsu葯i mai t卯rziu 鈥瀋el pios鈥�, maximilian, v膬rul reginei catarina, solomon, elefantul, subhro, cornacul, adic膬 卯ngrijitorul lui etc.). 葮tiu c膬 descrie c膬l膬toria unui elefant (darul de nunt膬 al perechii regale portugheze pentru arhiducele Maximilian) de la curtea din Lisabona 葯i p卯n膬 la curtea din Viena, 卯n anul 1551. 葮i mai 葯tiu c膬 bietul solomon va ajunge cu bine, dup膬 un drum foarte dificil prin 葲inuturile aride ale Spaniei, prin ora葯ele Italiei, pe mare 葯i prin trec膬torile friguroase ale Alpilor. C膬l膬toria s-a petrecut cu adev膬rat 葯i a fost consemnat膬 de istorici. Pornind de la faptul istoric s膬rac, Saramago a 卯nchipuit o poveste 葯i ne ofer膬 detaliile concrete.
Cel mai amuzant personaj din roman nu este elefantul, nici arhiducele maximilian, ci povestitorul, care e foarte locvace, chiar euforic, 葯i ne 卯nva葲膬 la fiece pas cum s膬 citim aceast膬 carte 葯i ce s膬 g卯ndim despre lume 葯i via葲膬, 卯n general. Exper葲ii 卯n post-modernism ar zice c膬 procedeul e agasant: naratorul e prea guraliv. Nefiind un expert 卯n post-modernism, m膬 ab葲in. Ar mai fi de men葲ionat o minune a elefantului (sau a sf卯ntului anton prin intermediul elefantului solomon). Ajuns 卯n fa葲a basilicii sus-numitului sf卯nt anton din padova, elefantul 卯ngenuncheaz膬 smerit 葯i spune, 卯n tain膬, o rug膬ciune latineasc膬. Dac膬 nici asta nu mai este o minune veritabil膬, eu chiar nu 葯tiu ce v-ar putea mul葲umi, dragii mei cititori agnostici...
De pus 卯n paralel膬 cu Ivo Andri膰, Povestea cu elefantul vizirului (Polirom, 2020). 葮i cu Elif Shafak, Ucenicul arhitectului (Polirom, 2015). De la Hannibal care a trecut Alpii pe spinarea acestor mon葯tri 葯i a 卯nsp膬im卯ntat Roma (卯n anul 218 卯.e.n.), elefan葲ii i-au obsedat mereu
pe cronicari...
(3, 5 stelu葲e).
June 3, 2024
This short story had everything to please me. That's an original novel based on historical facts, poetic and alert writing, a subject pretext to denounce human relations' hypocrisy hyper hierarchy. This fable is of the elephant Solomon offered to Austria's Archduke by the King of Portugal Joao III, witness to the faults of the greats of this world, the baseness of some, and the cascading manipulations. The story occurs in the 16th century but could occur nowadays with little development.
So why am I not more excited? Is it because the typography of the book is terrible? What is the author's will? I do not know. But it was difficult for me to read to the end of two hundred pages of continuous text without paragraphs within the chapters, where the fanciful punctuation places commas between the sentences and where the layout does not distinguish between dialogue and narrative. Not to mention the non-existent capital letters, whatever the proper name used.
Some may find this reason futile, which they try! The eye is embarrassed, reading is complicated, and the pleasure of reading is diluted in constant efforts to understand sentences' meaning, sometimes running over ten lines.
A great story also serves imperfect form if good writing doesn't make a good book.
So why am I not more excited? Is it because the typography of the book is terrible? What is the author's will? I do not know. But it was difficult for me to read to the end of two hundred pages of continuous text without paragraphs within the chapters, where the fanciful punctuation places commas between the sentences and where the layout does not distinguish between dialogue and narrative. Not to mention the non-existent capital letters, whatever the proper name used.
Some may find this reason futile, which they try! The eye is embarrassed, reading is complicated, and the pleasure of reading is diluted in constant efforts to understand sentences' meaning, sometimes running over ten lines.
A great story also serves imperfect form if good writing doesn't make a good book.
January 1, 2017
This is the story of the book. Knowing it will not spoil the enjoyment of it one whit, if you do choose to read it.
The story is based on the Portuguese King Joao III's gift of an elephant to the Archduke Maximillian and the delivery of the gift from Lisbon to Vienna. The major characters are the elephant Solomon and his mahour Subhro. The story is of the King, what happens on the journey to the officers who escort the elephant and at the end of the journey, the Archduke. Maximillian arrogantly renames the elephant from Solomon to Suleiman and the mahout to an inappropriate "Fritz".
The end is both picaresque and that of a fairy tale. It is two years after the elephant has arrived in Vienna and he has died. They have cut him up for souvenirs and umbrella stands and the mahout has been apid off, generously, by the Archduke. The last we see of Subhro, he has reclaimed his name, is riding off on a mule, on a journey he never completes trailing a donkey who bears a wooden box containing all the possessions that mahout possesses.
A short while later, the letter announcing the death of Solomon reaches King Joao III and his wife. The king was very sad but the queen refusing to be read the contents of the letter locked herself in her room and spent the rest of the day in tears.
It is a beguiling book, the language is so beautiful, it is witty and humouros but it is not a great book, just a really enjoyable one. A fine one to finish a year of reading on.
Notes on reading the book.
The story is based on the Portuguese King Joao III's gift of an elephant to the Archduke Maximillian and the delivery of the gift from Lisbon to Vienna. The major characters are the elephant Solomon and his mahour Subhro. The story is of the King, what happens on the journey to the officers who escort the elephant and at the end of the journey, the Archduke. Maximillian arrogantly renames the elephant from Solomon to Suleiman and the mahout to an inappropriate "Fritz".
The end is both picaresque and that of a fairy tale. It is two years after the elephant has arrived in Vienna and he has died. They have cut him up for souvenirs and umbrella stands and the mahout has been apid off, generously, by the Archduke. The last we see of Subhro, he has reclaimed his name, is riding off on a mule, on a journey he never completes trailing a donkey who bears a wooden box containing all the possessions that mahout possesses.
A short while later, the letter announcing the death of Solomon reaches King Joao III and his wife. The king was very sad but the queen refusing to be read the contents of the letter locked herself in her room and spent the rest of the day in tears.
It is a beguiling book, the language is so beautiful, it is witty and humouros but it is not a great book, just a really enjoyable one. A fine one to finish a year of reading on.
Notes on reading the book.
Read
April 20, 2020...a fall from grace can come very swiftly, or, as the Romans used to say, the Tarpeian Rock is close to the Capitol. That idea, though not that exact expression, was in my mind from the beginning of .
A very likeable character called 辫锚谤辞 de alc谩莽ova carneiro features impressively in the early pages of this tale. He is secretary of state to the king of Portugal and his thinly veiled ironic responses to the monarch鈥檚 rather dim questions cause the reader to worry for his safety鈥攚e see him being thrown from the nearest high rock if he doesn鈥檛 soon mend his ways.
Although 辫锚谤辞 is a master of nuance, the equal of many a great Shakespearian character, he doesn鈥檛 merit a capital letter in this story鈥攃haracters鈥� names are rarely written with capitals in Saramago鈥檚 books. Nevertheless, the reader begins to hope in the early pages that 辫锚谤辞 will play a capital part in the tale. But Saramago quickly dampens any such hopes concerning the very patient and clever 辫锚谤辞, whom we may not see again, although perhaps we will, because life laughs at predictions and introduces words where we imagined silences, and sudden returns when we thought we would never see each other again.
With such convoluted phrases does Saramago challenge all of our presumed ideas about narrative and its conventions from the very beginning of this story; he takes common notions, clich茅s almost, such as the assumption that events may be predicted or predictable, and quickly turns them, and us, inside out and upside down. The reader is wrong footed from the start here, not knowing who the main character will be in this account of the gifting of an elephant by the king of Portugal, Dom Jo茫o the third, to his cousin, Maximilian the second of Austria, in 1552.
If 辫锚谤辞 can be dropped so easily, we wonder what fate awaits subhro, the clever mahout who tends the elephant, and whom the reader begins to see as the main character (if, of course, the wise elephant (called Solomon) is not himself the main character) soon after the dispensable 辫锚谤辞 is left behind by the story in Lisbon along with the king, an equally dispensable character it seems, for there is a welcome democracy in this tale, at least at times.
Riding through Portugal, and then across Spain, boarding a ship to cross the Mediterranean, then onwards through Northern Italy, the Alps, Austria, all while perched on top of an elephant must have seemed like a royal position in those days. Our subhro enjoys his status, high above the army of accompanying soldiers like a capital on the top of a column. But since he is as clever as 辫锚谤辞, he doesn鈥檛 take his temporary preeminent situation for granted, fearing every day, and every step of the journey that he will eventually be toppled, and end up where he really belongs, in the dust or the snow, whichever applies.
One particular slow day on the hazardous journey, a daydream temporarily carries subhro far off into the land of heroic deeds where he imagines himself being lauded by the entire Austrian court, but soon reality revealed itself to him exactly as it was, himself hunched on the elephant's back, almost invisible beneath the snow, the desolate image of the defeated conqueror, demonstrating yet again how close the tarpeian rock is to the capitoline hill, on the latter they crown you with laurels and from the former they fling you down, all glory vanished, all honour lost, to the place where you will leave your wretched bones.
So the uneasy feeling the reader experienced at the beginning of this tale is confirmed by Saramago鈥檚 own words; a fall from grace can come swiftly, and no one, no matter how impregnable their position, can be certain of avoiding such a fall. Saramago wrote this book quite late in his life and I wondered if he had doubts or regrets about what he had achieved in his writing career or if he worried about the security of his position as the leading Portuguese writer of the twentieth century. I didn't wonder for long, as he went on to say: The skeptics are quite right when they say that the history of humanity is one long succession of missed opportunities. Fortunately, thanks to the inexhaustible generosity of the imagination, we erase faults, fill in lacunae as best we can, forge passages through blind alleys that will remain stubbornly blind, and invent keys to doors that have never had locks. Saramago is very good at inventing keys, and with them, he opens a succession of doors in the narrative; I imagine him blithely doing the same throughout his life.
The quotes I've included demonstrate many interesting features of Saramago鈥檚 style, but this one in particular: his ability to move seamlessly from he to they to you to we and back again. And the we is sometimes the narrator and the reader, sometimes the narrator and the characters, so that we, the readers, eventually become absorbed into the narrative and the we comes to be narrator, characters and readers, all rolled up in one; we are transformed in spite of ourselves, changed utterly on reading his words because Saramago believes in the transforming power of fiction: It must be said that history is always selective, and discriminatory too, selecting from life only what society deems to be historical and scorning the rest, which is precisely where we might find the true explanation of facts, of things, of wretched reality itself. I say to you, it is better to be a novelist, a fiction writer, a liar.
Perhaps not an outright liar, but clever and inventive when it comes to filling in lacunae; while describing the beauty of the mountains through which the elephant travels, and clearly never having visited the location as any writer worthy of the name would surely do (he implies), Saramago wriggles neatly out of any precise description: words fail me, he says instead, with his tongue placed firmly in his cheek.
So, if he is championing the fictional account of this factual journey over the historical one, he does it with an entire army of nods and winks: So far, fritz (as subhro is called by the Austrians) has been a vital character at every turn, be it dramatic or comic, even at the risk of cutting a ridiculous figure whenever a pinch of the ludicrous was felt to be necessary or merely tactically advisable for the narrative, putting up with humiliations without a word of protest or a flicker of emotion, careful not to let it be known that without him, there would be no one to deliver the goods, or in this case, to take the elephant to Vienna.
Saramago delivers the goods鈥攖o adopt his own clich茅 (he plays with clich茅s when it suits him). This book is a feast of verbal treats from the end to the beginning where, like , the narrative opens with a conversation in a marital bed, a conversation in which a monarch worries that a fall from grace can come very swiftly...
A very likeable character called 辫锚谤辞 de alc谩莽ova carneiro features impressively in the early pages of this tale. He is secretary of state to the king of Portugal and his thinly veiled ironic responses to the monarch鈥檚 rather dim questions cause the reader to worry for his safety鈥攚e see him being thrown from the nearest high rock if he doesn鈥檛 soon mend his ways.
Although 辫锚谤辞 is a master of nuance, the equal of many a great Shakespearian character, he doesn鈥檛 merit a capital letter in this story鈥攃haracters鈥� names are rarely written with capitals in Saramago鈥檚 books. Nevertheless, the reader begins to hope in the early pages that 辫锚谤辞 will play a capital part in the tale. But Saramago quickly dampens any such hopes concerning the very patient and clever 辫锚谤辞, whom we may not see again, although perhaps we will, because life laughs at predictions and introduces words where we imagined silences, and sudden returns when we thought we would never see each other again.
With such convoluted phrases does Saramago challenge all of our presumed ideas about narrative and its conventions from the very beginning of this story; he takes common notions, clich茅s almost, such as the assumption that events may be predicted or predictable, and quickly turns them, and us, inside out and upside down. The reader is wrong footed from the start here, not knowing who the main character will be in this account of the gifting of an elephant by the king of Portugal, Dom Jo茫o the third, to his cousin, Maximilian the second of Austria, in 1552.
If 辫锚谤辞 can be dropped so easily, we wonder what fate awaits subhro, the clever mahout who tends the elephant, and whom the reader begins to see as the main character (if, of course, the wise elephant (called Solomon) is not himself the main character) soon after the dispensable 辫锚谤辞 is left behind by the story in Lisbon along with the king, an equally dispensable character it seems, for there is a welcome democracy in this tale, at least at times.
Riding through Portugal, and then across Spain, boarding a ship to cross the Mediterranean, then onwards through Northern Italy, the Alps, Austria, all while perched on top of an elephant must have seemed like a royal position in those days. Our subhro enjoys his status, high above the army of accompanying soldiers like a capital on the top of a column. But since he is as clever as 辫锚谤辞, he doesn鈥檛 take his temporary preeminent situation for granted, fearing every day, and every step of the journey that he will eventually be toppled, and end up where he really belongs, in the dust or the snow, whichever applies.
One particular slow day on the hazardous journey, a daydream temporarily carries subhro far off into the land of heroic deeds where he imagines himself being lauded by the entire Austrian court, but soon reality revealed itself to him exactly as it was, himself hunched on the elephant's back, almost invisible beneath the snow, the desolate image of the defeated conqueror, demonstrating yet again how close the tarpeian rock is to the capitoline hill, on the latter they crown you with laurels and from the former they fling you down, all glory vanished, all honour lost, to the place where you will leave your wretched bones.
So the uneasy feeling the reader experienced at the beginning of this tale is confirmed by Saramago鈥檚 own words; a fall from grace can come swiftly, and no one, no matter how impregnable their position, can be certain of avoiding such a fall. Saramago wrote this book quite late in his life and I wondered if he had doubts or regrets about what he had achieved in his writing career or if he worried about the security of his position as the leading Portuguese writer of the twentieth century. I didn't wonder for long, as he went on to say: The skeptics are quite right when they say that the history of humanity is one long succession of missed opportunities. Fortunately, thanks to the inexhaustible generosity of the imagination, we erase faults, fill in lacunae as best we can, forge passages through blind alleys that will remain stubbornly blind, and invent keys to doors that have never had locks. Saramago is very good at inventing keys, and with them, he opens a succession of doors in the narrative; I imagine him blithely doing the same throughout his life.
The quotes I've included demonstrate many interesting features of Saramago鈥檚 style, but this one in particular: his ability to move seamlessly from he to they to you to we and back again. And the we is sometimes the narrator and the reader, sometimes the narrator and the characters, so that we, the readers, eventually become absorbed into the narrative and the we comes to be narrator, characters and readers, all rolled up in one; we are transformed in spite of ourselves, changed utterly on reading his words because Saramago believes in the transforming power of fiction: It must be said that history is always selective, and discriminatory too, selecting from life only what society deems to be historical and scorning the rest, which is precisely where we might find the true explanation of facts, of things, of wretched reality itself. I say to you, it is better to be a novelist, a fiction writer, a liar.
Perhaps not an outright liar, but clever and inventive when it comes to filling in lacunae; while describing the beauty of the mountains through which the elephant travels, and clearly never having visited the location as any writer worthy of the name would surely do (he implies), Saramago wriggles neatly out of any precise description: words fail me, he says instead, with his tongue placed firmly in his cheek.
So, if he is championing the fictional account of this factual journey over the historical one, he does it with an entire army of nods and winks: So far, fritz (as subhro is called by the Austrians) has been a vital character at every turn, be it dramatic or comic, even at the risk of cutting a ridiculous figure whenever a pinch of the ludicrous was felt to be necessary or merely tactically advisable for the narrative, putting up with humiliations without a word of protest or a flicker of emotion, careful not to let it be known that without him, there would be no one to deliver the goods, or in this case, to take the elephant to Vienna.
Saramago delivers the goods鈥攖o adopt his own clich茅 (he plays with clich茅s when it suits him). This book is a feast of verbal treats from the end to the beginning where, like , the narrative opens with a conversation in a marital bed, a conversation in which a monarch worries that a fall from grace can come very swiftly...
December 23, 2016
Here is a wonderful story, especially, I think, if you have a deep connection to animals. It is the story of Solomon the Elephant and his keeper, Subhro, and their journey as a gift from King Joao III of Portugal to his cousin Archduke Maximillian (Hapsburgs) in 1540 or so. The voice is third-person historical and wonderfully relaxed and unrushed. It is a novelist's voice embellishing on historical fact:
Omniscience is avoided. This is especially evident in the narrator's refusal or inability to enter the thoughts of Solomon. The animal is thus shown a certain respect and the limitations of the voice are clearly indicated:
As I read about the passage of the archduke and his cortege in their passage through the snowy Alps I was filled with foreboding. That's how affecting the writing is here. One is entirely taken up with the plight of this elephant, an animal of the tropics, being forced through a snowy rocky landscape. Saramago uses a run on sentence style, stringing long passages together with commas, and disdaining standard capitalization. This has the clever effect of slowing the reader down, almost as a caesura in verse, making one concentrate more intently on how the language is deployed. Saramago was both a Communist and a famous atheist. His send up of the Catholic Church, its cynicism and hypocrisy is quite amusing and is by itself worth the price of the book. Especially amusing is the "miracle" cynically wrought in Padua by an ecclesiastic of that city. Solomon is coerced to kneel by the doors of the basilica, which puts the fear of God into the populace, which also kneels. This story then precedes Solomon along his route. The Archduke is not amused by the throngs of the pious.
One bit of interesting subtext occurs when the Archduke and his cortege make their way through the dangerous Brenner Pass. For those familar with W.G. Sebald's you know that the Brenner Pass is central to that book and the author offers some of his enigmatic photographs of it. When Saramago's narrative reaches the Brenner pass, he begins to discuss the difficulties of descriptive writing, then says:
Is this a swipe at Sebald, who, according to some鈥擲aramago may have been one鈥攃heats by using photos? It would certainly seem so but this is speculation. Unless some lucky scholar hits paydirt, I'm afraid we'll never know.
It's hard to understand just why the archduke Maximilian should have decided to make such a journey at this time of year [winter], but that is how it is set down in history, as an incontrovertible, documented fact, supported by historians and confirmed by the novelist, who must be forgiven for taking certain liberties with names, not only because it is his right to invent, but also because he had to fill in certain gaps so that the sacred coherence of the story was not lost.
Omniscience is avoided. This is especially evident in the narrator's refusal or inability to enter the thoughts of Solomon. The animal is thus shown a certain respect and the limitations of the voice are clearly indicated:
We do not know what he [Solomon] is thinking, but, in the midst of these Alps, we can be sure of one thing, he is not a happy elephant.
As I read about the passage of the archduke and his cortege in their passage through the snowy Alps I was filled with foreboding. That's how affecting the writing is here. One is entirely taken up with the plight of this elephant, an animal of the tropics, being forced through a snowy rocky landscape. Saramago uses a run on sentence style, stringing long passages together with commas, and disdaining standard capitalization. This has the clever effect of slowing the reader down, almost as a caesura in verse, making one concentrate more intently on how the language is deployed. Saramago was both a Communist and a famous atheist. His send up of the Catholic Church, its cynicism and hypocrisy is quite amusing and is by itself worth the price of the book. Especially amusing is the "miracle" cynically wrought in Padua by an ecclesiastic of that city. Solomon is coerced to kneel by the doors of the basilica, which puts the fear of God into the populace, which also kneels. This story then precedes Solomon along his route. The Archduke is not amused by the throngs of the pious.
One bit of interesting subtext occurs when the Archduke and his cortege make their way through the dangerous Brenner Pass. For those familar with W.G. Sebald's you know that the Brenner Pass is central to that book and the author offers some of his enigmatic photographs of it. When Saramago's narrative reaches the Brenner pass, he begins to discuss the difficulties of descriptive writing, then says:
It's a shame that photography had not yet been invented in the sixteeth century, because the solution would have been easy as pie, we would simply have included a few photos from the period, especially if taken from a helicopter and readers would then have every reason to consider themselves amply rewarded and to recognize the extraordinary informative nature of our enterprise.
Is this a swipe at Sebald, who, according to some鈥擲aramago may have been one鈥攃heats by using photos? It would certainly seem so but this is speculation. Unless some lucky scholar hits paydirt, I'm afraid we'll never know.
Read
March 13, 2025芦De todos os livros de Saramago que j谩 li, pareceu-me o mais direto e 鈥渓impo鈥� de pormenores desnecess谩rios: as descri莽玫es s茫o as suficientes para que o leitor consiga imaginar os cen谩rios, as personagens que n茫o s茫o essenciais ou hist贸ricas s茫o reduzidas 脿s suas fun莽玫es, e h谩 pouco contexto hist贸rico e social para al茅m daquele de que precisamos para situar a hist贸ria. Para mim, esta economia funcionou bastante bem, uma vez que me ajudou a concentrar-me na cr铆tica social que 茅 o objetivo do livro. E embora n茫o tenha chegado a fazer parte dos meus Saramagos favoritos, foi sem d煤vida uma excelente leitura.禄
Review completa em: .
Review completa em: .
July 11, 2022
乇丨賱丞 胤賵賷賱丞 賮賷 丕賱賯乇賳 丕賱爻丕丿爻 毓卮乇 亘氐丨亘丞 丕賱賮賷賱 爻丕賱賵賲賵賳
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賯丕卅賲丞 毓賱賶 丨丿孬 丨賯賷賯賷 賵賴賵 廿賴丿丕亍 賲賱賰 丕賱亘乇鬲睾丕賱 賮賷賱 賴賳丿賷 賱賲賱賰 丕賱賳賲爻丕
賷丨賰賷 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 亘兀爻賱賵亘 胤乇賷賮 毓賳 賲爻賷乇丞 丕賱賮賷賱 亘賰賱 兀丨丿丕孬賴丕 賵卮禺氐賷丕鬲賴丕
胤賵丕賱 丕賱乇丨賱丞 賵賲毓 禺胤賵丕鬲 丕賱賮賷賱 丕賱亘胤賷卅丞 賴賳丕賰 賲氐丕毓亘 賵禺賱丕賮丕鬲 賵氐乇丕毓丕鬲
賷毓乇囟 禺賱丕賱賴丕 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 賲賱丕賲丨 兀賵乇賵亘丕 賮賷 兀賵丕禺乇 丕賱賯乇賵賳 丕賱賵爻胤賶
丕賱賲毓鬲賯丿丕鬲 丕賱丿賷賳賷丞 丕賱賲禺鬲賱賮丞 賵賲丨丕賰賲 丕賱鬲賮鬲賷卮, 丕賱禺乇丕賮丕鬲 賵丕賱丕爻鬲睾賱丕賱
賵賷鬲賳丕賵賱 丨賷丕丞 丕賱亘卮乇 賵丕賱丨賷賵丕賳 丕賱鬲賷 鬲鬲睾賷乇 賲賳 丨丕賱 廿賱賶 丨丕賱
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賯丕卅賲丞 毓賱賶 丨丿孬 丨賯賷賯賷 賵賴賵 廿賴丿丕亍 賲賱賰 丕賱亘乇鬲睾丕賱 賮賷賱 賴賳丿賷 賱賲賱賰 丕賱賳賲爻丕
賷丨賰賷 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 亘兀爻賱賵亘 胤乇賷賮 毓賳 賲爻賷乇丞 丕賱賮賷賱 亘賰賱 兀丨丿丕孬賴丕 賵卮禺氐賷丕鬲賴丕
胤賵丕賱 丕賱乇丨賱丞 賵賲毓 禺胤賵丕鬲 丕賱賮賷賱 丕賱亘胤賷卅丞 賴賳丕賰 賲氐丕毓亘 賵禺賱丕賮丕鬲 賵氐乇丕毓丕鬲
賷毓乇囟 禺賱丕賱賴丕 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 賲賱丕賲丨 兀賵乇賵亘丕 賮賷 兀賵丕禺乇 丕賱賯乇賵賳 丕賱賵爻胤賶
丕賱賲毓鬲賯丿丕鬲 丕賱丿賷賳賷丞 丕賱賲禺鬲賱賮丞 賵賲丨丕賰賲 丕賱鬲賮鬲賷卮, 丕賱禺乇丕賮丕鬲 賵丕賱丕爻鬲睾賱丕賱
賵賷鬲賳丕賵賱 丨賷丕丞 丕賱亘卮乇 賵丕賱丨賷賵丕賳 丕賱鬲賷 鬲鬲睾賷乇 賲賳 丨丕賱 廿賱賶 丨丕賱
January 27, 2024
3,5
O que esperar de uma obra de um escritor premiado com um Nobel? J谩 tive algumas experi锚ncias com vencedores/indiciados para Pulitzers, Nobels, Booker Prizes, e nem sempre foram agrad谩veis. Abomino o surrealismo de Murakami. Derrapei no caos de Gabriel Garc铆a Marquez e ganhei asco 脿 鈥淎 Valsa Esquecida鈥� da Anne Enright - uma vez mais, porqu锚 鈥淎 Valsa Esquecida鈥� e n茫o, como dizem os franceses do Jeunet, 鈥淵upi-tralala鈥�? Mas o Saramago 茅 diferente, n茫o por ser portugu锚s, n茫o por ser um velhinho de aspecto afectuoso, mas porque o considero um g茅nio. Um g茅nio com uma escrita t茫o complicada que eu, que gosto de pensar em mim como dispondo de alguma intelig锚ncia, dificilmente acompanho. J谩 analisaram o surrealismo das suas reflex玫es? Cegueira branca. A Pen铆nsula Ib茅rica 脿 deriva da Europa. A Morte de f茅rias. E depois temos esta Viagem do Elefante.
Do Saramago li as entrelinhas da Jangada de Pedra, desistindo a meio e admirando o g茅nio que arquitectou as ideias. Li pouco mais de um ter莽o do Ensaio Sobre a Cegueira e desisti, porque tanta excel锚ncia e tanto conte煤do cansam. Fiquei a 30 p谩ginas do final do Memorial do Convento, porque foi como correr a meia-maratona chegar ali. E decidi pegar n鈥橝 Viagem do Elefante e fazer dele a primeira obra que leio, de fio a pavio, do Nobel portugu锚s.
脡 preciso explicar que esta minha predilec莽茫o por esta obra, entre tantas que prometem qualidade, se deve ao document谩rio Jos茅 y Pilar. No document谩rio, Saramago corre o mundo a promover os seus livros, com a maravilhosa - e arguta - Pilar del Rio ao lado. E est谩 a escrever A Viagem do Elefante. Sofre um enfarte (?) e 茅 internado. Lamenta, receia, n茫o ser capaz de terminar a Viagem do Elefante. Mas, como ele pr贸prio escolheu para cita莽茫o de partida, Sempre chegamos ao s铆tio aonde nos esperam. E o elefante Salom茫o ou, a dado momento, Solim茫o, l谩 vai atravessando a Europa com as suas quatro toneladas. O segundo motivo que me sintonizou para este livro foi a cita莽茫o: o elefante caga, pois caga. E gravou-se-me de tal modo que a oi莽o sempre na voz hesitante de Saramago.
A leitura 茅 dif铆cil. 脡-me sempre dif铆cil ler Saramago, como se o autor atirasse pedras para o caminho do leitor, a fim de aferir o quanto queremos l锚-lo, quanto estamos dispostos a dar de n贸s para fazer essa viagem que h谩, regra geral, num livro qualquer. Mas eu consegui ler os Maias 脿 segunda investida, e o Saramago, desta, n茫o me venceria.
Como ponto alto elejo a amizade cornaca-elefante. O elefante parece compreend锚-lo conforme lhe sussurra ao ouvido por muito que Saramago nos recorde, aqui e ali, que o mesmo n茫o passa de um animal. 脡 ternurenta esta rela莽茫o assim como a de simpatias e antipatias que o elefante vai revelando. Surgem padres e di谩logo religioso, como j谩 茅 habitual, e surge tamb茅m a hist贸ria de um Portugal grandioso, ainda a colher os frutos da Expans茫o Mar铆tima. Estamos regidos por D. Jo茫o III, veio a inquisi莽茫o e na Europa prepara-se a contra-reforma em Trento. Tudo isto 茅 mencionado pela voz de um padre Genov锚s que roga um milagre ao cornaca Subhro, apelando ao muito que a Igreja Cat贸lica beneficiaria dum. Por entre interesseiros, milagres de encomenda, insensibilidades para com o elefante e o tratador, discrimina莽茫o para com um indiano que acredita em deuses-elefante, um jogo hier谩rquico complexo e uma fogueira de vaidades, Salom茫o agita as estradas passo a passo, ao caminhar, gravando a ferros a sua passagem pela literatura portuguesa. Inesquec铆vel, daqui por diante, a exist锚ncia de um elefante de nome Salom茫o.
A frase "O elefante caga, pois caga", nunca surge no livro.
Houve partes que me pareceram por demais familiares, como se esta obra de Saramago existisse em todas as coisas.
O que esperar de uma obra de um escritor premiado com um Nobel? J谩 tive algumas experi锚ncias com vencedores/indiciados para Pulitzers, Nobels, Booker Prizes, e nem sempre foram agrad谩veis. Abomino o surrealismo de Murakami. Derrapei no caos de Gabriel Garc铆a Marquez e ganhei asco 脿 鈥淎 Valsa Esquecida鈥� da Anne Enright - uma vez mais, porqu锚 鈥淎 Valsa Esquecida鈥� e n茫o, como dizem os franceses do Jeunet, 鈥淵upi-tralala鈥�? Mas o Saramago 茅 diferente, n茫o por ser portugu锚s, n茫o por ser um velhinho de aspecto afectuoso, mas porque o considero um g茅nio. Um g茅nio com uma escrita t茫o complicada que eu, que gosto de pensar em mim como dispondo de alguma intelig锚ncia, dificilmente acompanho. J谩 analisaram o surrealismo das suas reflex玫es? Cegueira branca. A Pen铆nsula Ib茅rica 脿 deriva da Europa. A Morte de f茅rias. E depois temos esta Viagem do Elefante.
Do Saramago li as entrelinhas da Jangada de Pedra, desistindo a meio e admirando o g茅nio que arquitectou as ideias. Li pouco mais de um ter莽o do Ensaio Sobre a Cegueira e desisti, porque tanta excel锚ncia e tanto conte煤do cansam. Fiquei a 30 p谩ginas do final do Memorial do Convento, porque foi como correr a meia-maratona chegar ali. E decidi pegar n鈥橝 Viagem do Elefante e fazer dele a primeira obra que leio, de fio a pavio, do Nobel portugu锚s.
脡 preciso explicar que esta minha predilec莽茫o por esta obra, entre tantas que prometem qualidade, se deve ao document谩rio Jos茅 y Pilar. No document谩rio, Saramago corre o mundo a promover os seus livros, com a maravilhosa - e arguta - Pilar del Rio ao lado. E est谩 a escrever A Viagem do Elefante. Sofre um enfarte (?) e 茅 internado. Lamenta, receia, n茫o ser capaz de terminar a Viagem do Elefante. Mas, como ele pr贸prio escolheu para cita莽茫o de partida, Sempre chegamos ao s铆tio aonde nos esperam. E o elefante Salom茫o ou, a dado momento, Solim茫o, l谩 vai atravessando a Europa com as suas quatro toneladas. O segundo motivo que me sintonizou para este livro foi a cita莽茫o: o elefante caga, pois caga. E gravou-se-me de tal modo que a oi莽o sempre na voz hesitante de Saramago.
A leitura 茅 dif铆cil. 脡-me sempre dif铆cil ler Saramago, como se o autor atirasse pedras para o caminho do leitor, a fim de aferir o quanto queremos l锚-lo, quanto estamos dispostos a dar de n贸s para fazer essa viagem que h谩, regra geral, num livro qualquer. Mas eu consegui ler os Maias 脿 segunda investida, e o Saramago, desta, n茫o me venceria.
Como ponto alto elejo a amizade cornaca-elefante. O elefante parece compreend锚-lo conforme lhe sussurra ao ouvido por muito que Saramago nos recorde, aqui e ali, que o mesmo n茫o passa de um animal. 脡 ternurenta esta rela莽茫o assim como a de simpatias e antipatias que o elefante vai revelando. Surgem padres e di谩logo religioso, como j谩 茅 habitual, e surge tamb茅m a hist贸ria de um Portugal grandioso, ainda a colher os frutos da Expans茫o Mar铆tima. Estamos regidos por D. Jo茫o III, veio a inquisi莽茫o e na Europa prepara-se a contra-reforma em Trento. Tudo isto 茅 mencionado pela voz de um padre Genov锚s que roga um milagre ao cornaca Subhro, apelando ao muito que a Igreja Cat贸lica beneficiaria dum. Por entre interesseiros, milagres de encomenda, insensibilidades para com o elefante e o tratador, discrimina莽茫o para com um indiano que acredita em deuses-elefante, um jogo hier谩rquico complexo e uma fogueira de vaidades, Salom茫o agita as estradas passo a passo, ao caminhar, gravando a ferros a sua passagem pela literatura portuguesa. Inesquec铆vel, daqui por diante, a exist锚ncia de um elefante de nome Salom茫o.
A frase "O elefante caga, pois caga", nunca surge no livro.
Houve partes que me pareceram por demais familiares, como se esta obra de Saramago existisse em todas as coisas.
August 5, 2015
兀丨賷丕賳賸丕 亘鬲賰賵賳 毓亘賯乇賷丞 丕賱賮賰乇丞 鬲賰賲賳 賮賶 亘爻丕胤鬲賴丕..
丿賴 丕賱丨丕賱 賮賶 乇賵丕賷丞 "賲爻賷乇丞 丕賱賮賷賱" 賱賱毓馗賷賲 "爻丕乇丕賲丕睾賵"..
賲毓賱賵賲丞 亘爻賷胤丞 賲乇賾鬲 毓賱賷賴 賯丿乇 賷丨賵賱賴丕 賱乇賵丕賷丞 廿賳爻丕賳賷丞 毓亘賯乇賷丞 賲賳 丕賱丿乇噩丞 丕賱兀賵賱賶 ..
丕賱賲毓賱賵賲丞 賴賶 廿賳 賲賱賰 丕賱亘乇鬲睾丕賱 兀賴丿賶 賵賱賶 毓賴丿 丕賱賳賲爻丕 賮賶 毓丕賲 1561 賮賷賱 囟禺賲 丕爻賲賴 "爻丕賱賵賲賵賳".
兀賳丕 賲鬲禺賷賱 爻丕乇丕賲丕睾賵 亘賷爻賲毓 丕賱賮賰乇丞貙 亘賷毓鬲丿賱 賮賶 丕賱賰乇爻賶 亘鬲丕毓賴貙 毓賷賳賷賴 鬲鬲爻毓 賵毓賯賱賴 鬲囟卅 賮賷賴 卮購毓賱丞 鬲賮賰賷乇 毓賲賷賯.. 賷爻噩賾賱 丕賱賮賰乇丞 賵賷亘丿兀 賷卮鬲睾賱 毓賱賷賴丕.. 賵亘毓丿 賮鬲乇丞 鬲禺乇噩 賱賱賳賵乇 賮賶 兀夭賴賶 氐賵乇賴丕..
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 亘鬲氐賵賾乇 賲爻賷乇丞 丕賱賮賷賱 丕賱胤賵賷賱丞 賲賳 丕賱亘乇鬲睾丕賱 賱丨丿 丕賱賳賲爻丕 賮賶 兀乇囟 賱賲 鬲胤兀賴丕 賯丿賲 賲賳 賯亘賱.. 亘鬲丨賰賶 賰賲丕賳 賯氐丞 "賮乇賷鬲爻" 丕賱賮賷賾丕賱 丕賱賲爻卅賵賱 毓賳 "爻丕賱賵賲賵賳" 賵亘鬲亘賷賳 兀丿 丕賷賴 丕賱毓賱丕賯丞 亘賷賳 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 賵丕賱丨賷賵丕賳 賲賲賰賳 鬲賰賵賳 乇丕爻禺丞 賵毓賲賷賯丞..
丕賱賲爻賷乇丞 丕賱胤賵賷賱丞 噩丿賸丕貙 爻丕賱賵賲賵賳 賷賯胤毓 丕賱賮乇丕爻禺 賵丕賱賰賷賱賵賲鬲乇丕鬲 賱賱賵氐賵賱 廿賱賶 兀乇囟 賱丕 賷毓賱賲 毓賳賴丕 兀賶 卮卅.. 賲毓丕賳丕丞 丕賱睾賵氐 賮賶 丕賱孬賱噩 賵爻賯賵胤 丕賱賲胤乇 賵丕賱噩賵 丕賱丨丕乇 丕賱禺丕賳賯..
賰丕賱毓丕丿丞貙 丕爻賱賵亘 爻丕乇丕賲丕睾賵 賲卮 爻賴賱 賵賲丨鬲丕噩 鬲乇賰賷夭 卮丿賷丿..
鬲乇噩賲丞 "丕丨賲丿 毓亘丿 丕賱賱胤賷賮" 賲賲鬲丕夭丞 噩丿賸丕..
卮賰乇賸丕 賱賱賴賷卅丞 丕賱毓丕賲丞 賱賱賰鬲丕亘 丕賱賱賶 兀鬲丕丨鬲 賱賷賳丕 丕賱賮乇氐丞 賳賯乇兀 賰鬲亘 亘丕賱噩賲丕賱 丿賴 亘賯乇賵卮 賯賱賷賱丞.
December 1, 2020
#voltaraSaramago
鈥淒escobri que sou tal qual o elefante, uma parte de mim aprende, a outra ignora o que a outra parte aprendeu, e tanto mais vai ignorando quanto mais tempo vai vivendo, N茫o sou capaz de te seguir nesses jogos de palavras, N茫o sou eu quem joga com as palavras, s茫o elas que jogam comigo."
A hist贸ria 茅 encantadora, sobretudo pelo elefante, mas a lentid茫o e monotonia desta viagem de Lisboa 脿 脕ustria repercutiu-se na minha leitura. Mesmo tendo algumas passagens brilhantes, 茅 basicamente uma 鈥渞oad trip鈥� feita no s茅culo XVI a passo de paquiderme.
鈥淒escobri que sou tal qual o elefante, uma parte de mim aprende, a outra ignora o que a outra parte aprendeu, e tanto mais vai ignorando quanto mais tempo vai vivendo, N茫o sou capaz de te seguir nesses jogos de palavras, N茫o sou eu quem joga com as palavras, s茫o elas que jogam comigo."
A hist贸ria 茅 encantadora, sobretudo pelo elefante, mas a lentid茫o e monotonia desta viagem de Lisboa 脿 脕ustria repercutiu-se na minha leitura. Mesmo tendo algumas passagens brilhantes, 茅 basicamente uma 鈥渞oad trip鈥� feita no s茅culo XVI a passo de paquiderme.
October 22, 2017
螒蠀蟿蠈 蟺慰蠀 尉蔚蠂蠋蟻喂蟽伪 蟽蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 萎蟿伪谓 蟿慰 蔚尉伪喂蟻蔚蟿喂魏蠈 蠂喂慰蠉渭慰蟻 蟿慰蠀 危伪蟻伪渭维纬魏慰蠀 魏伪蟿鈥� 伪蟻蠂维蟼 魏伪喂 魏伪蟿维 未蔚蠉蟿蔚蟻慰谓 慰 蟺慰位蠉 维渭蔚蟽慰蟼 蟺蟻慰蟼 蟿慰谓 伪谓伪纬谓蠋蟽蟿畏 蟿蟻蠈蟺慰蟼 伪蠁萎纬畏蟽畏蟼. 韦慰 蟿伪尉委未喂 蟿慰蠀 蔚位苇蠁伪谓蟿伪 纬蟻维蠁蟿畏魏蔚 10 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪 渭蔚蟿维 蟿慰 螡蠈渭蟺蔚位 魏伪喂 位委纬伪 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪 蟺蟻喂谓 蟿慰 胃维谓伪蟿慰 蟿慰蠀 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪 魏伪喂 蟽蟿慰 慰蟺慰委慰 尾纬维味蔚喂 渭喂伪 蠅蟻喂渭蠈蟿畏蟿伪 伪位位维 魏伪喂 渭喂伪 蟿伪蟺蔚喂谓蠈蟿畏蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 蟽蠀谓伪谓蟿维蟿伪喂 蟽蔚 蔚位维蠂喂蟽蟿慰蠀蟼 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺慰蠀蟼 伪蠀蟿慰蠉 蟿慰蠀 蔚蟺喂蟺苇未慰蠀.
December 23, 2020
"廿賱賶 亘賷賱丕乇貙 丕賱鬲賷 賱賲 鬲鬲乇賰賳賷 賱賱賲賵鬲". 賴賰匕丕 賰鬲亘 丕賱毓夭賷夭 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 賮賷 亘丿丕賷丞 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 (賲爻賷乇丞 丕賱賮賷賱)貙 賵賴賰匕丕 兀賷囟丕賸 兀賳賯匕鬲賳賷 亘賷賱丕乇 賲賳 丕賱賲賱賱 賵丕賱賵丨丿丞 丿賵賳 兀賳 鬲毓賱賲 ..
賯亘賱 毓卮乇丞 兀賷丕賲貙 賰丕賳 賵丕賱丿丕賷 賷丨丕賵賱丕賳 丕賱丕鬲氐丕賱 亘賷 賵兀賳丕 賮賷 丕賱毓賲賱貙 賵亘爻亘亘 囟毓賮 丕賱卮亘賰丞 賱賲 鬲賰賳 賲賰丕賱賲丕鬲賴賲丕 鬲氐賱賳賷貙 賮賯胤 賷氐賱賳賷 乇爻丕卅賱 賯氐賷乇丞 兀賳賴賲丕 賷丨丕賵賱丕賳 丕賱賵氐賵賱 廿賱賷賾. 賰賳鬲 賯賱賯丕賸 亘爻亘亘 賰孬乇丞 丕賱賲丨丕賵賱丕鬲貙 賵賮賷 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 毓賱賲鬲 兀賳賴 鬲賲 丕爻鬲丿毓丕卅賷 賱賱噩賷卮. 賵匕賱賰 賴賵 丕賱爻亘亘 賵乇丕亍 鬲賱賰 丕賱賲丨丕賵賱丕鬲. 賵亘毓丿賴丕 亘兀爻亘賵毓 匕賴亘鬲 賱賱噩賷卮貙 賵兀禺匕鬲 賲毓賷 乇賵丕賷丞 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 鬲賱賰貙 賱兀賯乇兀賴丕.
賲毓鬲賲丿丕賸 毓賱賶 賵丕賯毓丞 鬲丕乇賷禺賷丞 丨丿孬鬲 毓丕賲 1551貙 賷爻乇丿 賱賳丕 丕賱毓夭賷夭 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 乇賵丕賷鬲賴. 賮賷 匕賱賰 丕賱毓丕賲 賯乇乇 丕賱賲賱賰 噩賵丕賵 丕賱孬丕賱孬 賲賱賰 丕賱亘乇鬲睾丕賱貙 廿乇爻丕賱 賴丿賷丞 夭賮丕賮 廿賱賶 丕賱兀乇卮賷丿賵賯 賲丕賰爻賷賲賷賱賷丕賳 賵賱賷 毓賴丿 丕賱賳賲爻丕貙 賵亘毓丿 鬲賮賰賷乇 賯乇乇 兀賳 賷乇爻賱 賱賴 丕賱賮賷賱 爻賵賱賵賲賵賳 (爻賱賷賲丕賳)貙 丕賱匕賷 賰丕賳 賲賳爻賷丕賸 賵賲賴賲賱丕賸 賮賷 丨丿賷賯丞 賯氐乇賴. 賵賵噩丿 兀賳賴丕 爻鬲賰賵賳 賴丿賷丞 賲賲賷夭丞 賵 賲賳丕爻亘丞.
毓賳丿賲丕 夭丕乇 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 丕賱賳賲爻丕貙 賵卮丕賴丿 氐賵乇 丕賱賮賷賱 爻賵賱賵賲賵賳貙 兀賱賴賲鬲賴 鬲賱賰 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞 賱賰鬲丕亘丞 乇賵丕賷鬲賴. 鬲鬲亘毓 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 乇丨賱丞 爻賵賱賵賲賵賳 賵丨丕乇爻賴 爻賵亘賴乇賵. 賯丿 鬲馗賳 兀賳賴丕 乇賵丕賷丞 毓丕丿賷丞 兀賵 賲噩乇丿 爻乇丿 賱丨賰丕賷丞 鬲丕乇賷禺賷丞貙 賵賱賰賳 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 賷胤乇丨 賮賷 鬲賱賰 丕賱乇丨賱丞 毓丿丞 鬲爻丕丐賱丕鬲 賵兀賮賰丕乇貙 賵賱丕 鬲禺賱賵 賲賳 丕賱爻禺乇賷丞 兀賷囟丕賸.
賰丕賳鬲 乇丨賱丞 賲賲鬲毓丞 兀賲囟賷鬲賴丕 賲毓 爻賵賱賵賲賵賳..
賯亘賱 毓卮乇丞 兀賷丕賲貙 賰丕賳 賵丕賱丿丕賷 賷丨丕賵賱丕賳 丕賱丕鬲氐丕賱 亘賷 賵兀賳丕 賮賷 丕賱毓賲賱貙 賵亘爻亘亘 囟毓賮 丕賱卮亘賰丞 賱賲 鬲賰賳 賲賰丕賱賲丕鬲賴賲丕 鬲氐賱賳賷貙 賮賯胤 賷氐賱賳賷 乇爻丕卅賱 賯氐賷乇丞 兀賳賴賲丕 賷丨丕賵賱丕賳 丕賱賵氐賵賱 廿賱賷賾. 賰賳鬲 賯賱賯丕賸 亘爻亘亘 賰孬乇丞 丕賱賲丨丕賵賱丕鬲貙 賵賮賷 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 毓賱賲鬲 兀賳賴 鬲賲 丕爻鬲丿毓丕卅賷 賱賱噩賷卮. 賵匕賱賰 賴賵 丕賱爻亘亘 賵乇丕亍 鬲賱賰 丕賱賲丨丕賵賱丕鬲. 賵亘毓丿賴丕 亘兀爻亘賵毓 匕賴亘鬲 賱賱噩賷卮貙 賵兀禺匕鬲 賲毓賷 乇賵丕賷丞 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 鬲賱賰貙 賱兀賯乇兀賴丕.
賲毓鬲賲丿丕賸 毓賱賶 賵丕賯毓丞 鬲丕乇賷禺賷丞 丨丿孬鬲 毓丕賲 1551貙 賷爻乇丿 賱賳丕 丕賱毓夭賷夭 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 乇賵丕賷鬲賴. 賮賷 匕賱賰 丕賱毓丕賲 賯乇乇 丕賱賲賱賰 噩賵丕賵 丕賱孬丕賱孬 賲賱賰 丕賱亘乇鬲睾丕賱貙 廿乇爻丕賱 賴丿賷丞 夭賮丕賮 廿賱賶 丕賱兀乇卮賷丿賵賯 賲丕賰爻賷賲賷賱賷丕賳 賵賱賷 毓賴丿 丕賱賳賲爻丕貙 賵亘毓丿 鬲賮賰賷乇 賯乇乇 兀賳 賷乇爻賱 賱賴 丕賱賮賷賱 爻賵賱賵賲賵賳 (爻賱賷賲丕賳)貙 丕賱匕賷 賰丕賳 賲賳爻賷丕賸 賵賲賴賲賱丕賸 賮賷 丨丿賷賯丞 賯氐乇賴. 賵賵噩丿 兀賳賴丕 爻鬲賰賵賳 賴丿賷丞 賲賲賷夭丞 賵 賲賳丕爻亘丞.
毓賳丿賲丕 夭丕乇 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 丕賱賳賲爻丕貙 賵卮丕賴丿 氐賵乇 丕賱賮賷賱 爻賵賱賵賲賵賳貙 兀賱賴賲鬲賴 鬲賱賰 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞 賱賰鬲丕亘丞 乇賵丕賷鬲賴. 鬲鬲亘毓 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 乇丨賱丞 爻賵賱賵賲賵賳 賵丨丕乇爻賴 爻賵亘賴乇賵. 賯丿 鬲馗賳 兀賳賴丕 乇賵丕賷丞 毓丕丿賷丞 兀賵 賲噩乇丿 爻乇丿 賱丨賰丕賷丞 鬲丕乇賷禺賷丞貙 賵賱賰賳 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 賷胤乇丨 賮賷 鬲賱賰 丕賱乇丨賱丞 毓丿丞 鬲爻丕丐賱丕鬲 賵兀賮賰丕乇貙 賵賱丕 鬲禺賱賵 賲賳 丕賱爻禺乇賷丞 兀賷囟丕賸.
賰丕賳鬲 乇丨賱丞 賲賲鬲毓丞 兀賲囟賷鬲賴丕 賲毓 爻賵賱賵賲賵賳..
April 13, 2025
賮賷 丿丕禺賱賳丕 毓賱賷賳丕 兀賳 賳毓鬲乇賮 兀賳 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞 賱賷爻鬲 賳賯賷丞 賵 賱丕 賲賲賷夭丞. 賮賴賷 鬲兀禺匕 賲賳 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賲丕 賷賴賲賴丕 賰賲丕丿丞 賲賯亘賵賱丞 丕噩鬲賲丕毓賷丕 賵 鬲丕乇賷禺賷丕. 賵 鬲丨鬲賯乇 丕賱亘賯賷丞. 亘丕賱鬲丨丿賷丿 丨賷孬 賷賰賲賳 乇亘賲丕 丕賱鬲賮爻賷乇 丕賱丨賯賷賯賷 賱賱兀丨丿丕孬. 賵 丕賱兀卮賷丕亍. 賵 丕賱賵丕賯毓 丕賱毓丕賴乇. 爻兀賯賵賱賴丕 賱賰賲 丨賯賷賯丞. 丨賯賷賯丞 兀賯賵賱 賱賰賲 廿賳賴 兀賴賲 賲賳 兀賳 賳賰賵賳 乇賵丕卅賷賷賳 賴賵 兀賳 賳賰賵賳 禺賷丕賱賷賷賳. 賰匕丕亘賷賳.丕賱賮賰乇賴 賲噩賳賵賳丞 賮賱丕 鬲賵噩丿 丨賰丕賷丞 賵 丕賱丨丿孬 丕賱丿乇丕賲賷 丕賱賵丨賷丿 賴賵 賲爻賷乇丞 丕锟斤拷賮賷賱 賲賳 丕賱亘乇鬲睾丕賱 賱賱賳賲爻丕 毓亘乇 丕爻亘丕賳賷丕 賵 丕賷胤丕賱賷丕 賲氐丨賵亘丕 亘賲賵賰亘 丕賴賲 卮禺氐 賮賷賴 睾賷乇 丕賱賮賷賱 賴賵 丕賱賮賷丕賱 丕賱匕賷 賷賯賵丿賴.
匕賰乇鬲賳賷 亘乇賵丕賷丞 丕禺乇賶 賰丕賳鬲 鬲卮亘賴賴丕 賮賷 丕賱賮賰乇丞 賵 丕賳 賰丕賳鬲 丕賮囟賱 賲賳賴丕 賮賷 丕賱丨亘賰丞 賴賷 賰賲丕 爻乇丨鬲 亘禺賷丕賱賷 賲乇丕乇丕 賮賷 賮賰乇丞 丕賳 賷丨賰賷 賱賳丕 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 賯氐丞 賲爻賷乇丞 丕禺乇賶 賱賮賷賱 丕禺乇 賴賵 賮賷賱 丕亘乇賴丞.
賴賱 賷毓賳賷 匕賱賰 丕賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲賲賱丞責 兀亘丿丕.
卮賷賯丞責 丕亘丿丕.
毓賲賷賯丞責 賱丕 賵 丕賱賳毓賲賴.
毓乇賮賳丕 賲賳賴丕 丕賱丕乇丕囟賷 丕賱丕賵乇賵亘賷丞 丕賵 鬲丕乇賷禺賴丕 丕賵 卮賷卅丕 賲賳 卮毓賵亘賴丕 禺賱丕賱 丕賱賲爻賷乇丞責 丕亘丿丕.
丕匕丕 賲丕 賴賷 丕賱乇爻丕賱賴 丕賱鬲賷 兀乇丕丿 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 丕賷氐丕賱賴丕 亘賴匕賴 丕賱賯氐丞責
賮賷 丕賱丨賯賷賯丞 丕賳丕 賱丕 丕丿乇賷 賵 賱賰賳賷 亘丕賱胤亘毓 丕爻鬲賲鬲毓鬲.
February 18, 2015
Saramago was having some snacks at a restaurant, when he noticed some engravings of an elephant on the walls. He enquired about it and was informed about an elephant, back in the sixteenth century, who had journeyed across the continent and through the peninsula and then passed on into legend. Saramago felt there was material for a story there and set out to investigate a bit about the historical details of this long journey. The result is this book. It was supposed to be a charming little novel.
This reviewer is sorry to report that while this is an interesting example of how good authors can pluck good stories out of thin air, there was nothing here that was of real interest to him, in terms of engaging characters, historical significance or even a good yarn.
May 27, 2015
廿匕丕 賮賴匕丕 賴賵 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 , 賲賳 賮丕囟 匕賰乇賴 賵丕乇鬲賮毓 丕爻賲賴 賱賷賳丕胤丨 丕賱爻丨丕亘 , 廿匕丕 賴賵 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 . 賲賳 賵囟毓 廿爻賲賴 賮賶 賲氐丕賮 丕賱毓馗賲丕亍 , 兀毓鬲賯丿 兀賳賴 賷爻鬲丨賯 , 賵賷爻鬲丨賯 兀賰孬乇 .
賴匕丕 賴賵 兀賵賱 賱賯丕亍 賲毓賴 賵丕賱兀賰賷丿 兀賳賴 賱賳 賷賰賵賳 丕賱兀禺賷乇 (卮賰賱賴丕 賴鬲賰賵賳 賮丕鬲丨丞 禺賷乇 丕賳 卮丕亍 丕賱賱賴 亘氐賵鬲 丨夭賱賯賵賲)
毓賲賱 毓丕丿賶 賱賰賳賴 賯賵賶 , 兀賰賷丿 賱賳 賷購爻噩賱 囟賲賳 兀毓馗賲 賲丕 賰鬲亘 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 賮賴賵 賲賳 賳賵毓賷丞 丕賱兀毓賲丕賱 丕賱賲馗賱賵賲丞 , 賱賰賳 賲噩乇丿 賲丕 鬲賯乇兀賴丕 爻鬲噩丿 賳賮爻賰 兀賲丕賲 毓賲賱 賮乇賷丿 . 毓賲賱 賷亘乇賴賳 毓賱賶 廿亘丿丕毓 賲賳賯胤毓 丕賱賳馗賷乇 .
丕賱賲賴賲 : 賲爻賷乇丞 丕賱賮賷賱 : 賮賶 睾丕亘乇 丕賱兀夭賲丕賳 , 賲賱賰 兀乇丕丿 兀賳 賷賴丕丿賷 氐賴乇賴 , 賮鬲賮鬲賻賾賯賻 匕賴賳購賴 毓賱賶 賴丿賷丞 賲亘鬲賰乇丞 , 賵賴賵 賮賷賱 賴賳丿賶 賲乇賰賵賳 毓賳丿賴. 乇兀賶 賮賷賴 丕賱賴丿賷丞 丕賱賲賳丕爻亘丞 賱噩賱丕賱鬲賴 賵毓馗賲鬲賴 丕賱賲賱賰賷丞.
廿匕丕 : 賮丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲購爻鬲賲丿丞 賲賳 兀孬乇 鬲丕乇賷禺賶 丨丿孬 亘丕賱賮毓賱 , 毓賳丿賲丕 兀賴丿賶 賲賱賰 丕賱亘乇鬲睾丕賱 氐賴乇賴 兀乇卮賷丿賵賯 丕賱賳賲爻丕 賮賷賱丕賸 囟禺賲丕 .
賱賷賰賵賳 丕賱賮賷賱 (爻丕賱賲賵賳 ) 賴賵 亘胤賱 丕賱毓賲賱 賵賲丨賵乇賴丕 賵 賲丕 丨賵賱賴 賲賳 兀卮禺丕氐 賴賶 兀賱賵丕賳 鬲賰賲賷賱賷丞 賱鬲賰賲賱 丕賱賱賵丨丞 賵鬲馗賴乇 亘賴匕丕 丕賱卮賰賱 丕賱馗乇賷賮.
賱丕 兀丿乇賶 賴賱 賴賵 兀爻賱賵亘 爻丕乇丕賲噩賵 賲 丕爻賱賵亘 丕賱賲鬲乇噩賲 , 賵賱賰賳 丕賱丨爻 丕賱亘賱丕睾賶 賲賲賷夭 噩丿丕 賵胤乇賷賯丞 丕賱賰鬲丕亘丞 (賮賷賴丕 卮卅 ) 卮卅 賲賲賷夭 賵賳丕丿乇丕 賲丕 鬲賯丕亘賱賴 賮賶 丕賱兀毓賲丕賱 丕賱乇賵丕卅賷丞.
鬲賯賲氐 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲亘賴乇 , 賷鬲丨丿孬 亘賱爻丕賳賴賲 賰兀賳賴賲 賴賵 .
賲賳 賵噩賴丞 賳馗乇賶 兀賮囟賱 卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賰丕賳鬲 卮禺氐賷丞 丕賱賮賷賾丕賱 (爻賵亘賴乇賵).
賮賶 丕賱賲噩賲賱 亘丿丕賷丞 賲賲鬲丕夭丞 賱賶 賲毓 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賵毓賲賱 賲賲賷夭 賱賱睾丕賷丞 .
賴匕丕 賴賵 兀賵賱 賱賯丕亍 賲毓賴 賵丕賱兀賰賷丿 兀賳賴 賱賳 賷賰賵賳 丕賱兀禺賷乇 (卮賰賱賴丕 賴鬲賰賵賳 賮丕鬲丨丞 禺賷乇 丕賳 卮丕亍 丕賱賱賴 亘氐賵鬲 丨夭賱賯賵賲)
毓賲賱 毓丕丿賶 賱賰賳賴 賯賵賶 , 兀賰賷丿 賱賳 賷購爻噩賱 囟賲賳 兀毓馗賲 賲丕 賰鬲亘 爻丕乇丕賲丕噩賵 賮賴賵 賲賳 賳賵毓賷丞 丕賱兀毓賲丕賱 丕賱賲馗賱賵賲丞 , 賱賰賳 賲噩乇丿 賲丕 鬲賯乇兀賴丕 爻鬲噩丿 賳賮爻賰 兀賲丕賲 毓賲賱 賮乇賷丿 . 毓賲賱 賷亘乇賴賳 毓賱賶 廿亘丿丕毓 賲賳賯胤毓 丕賱賳馗賷乇 .
丕賱賲賴賲 : 賲爻賷乇丞 丕賱賮賷賱 : 賮賶 睾丕亘乇 丕賱兀夭賲丕賳 , 賲賱賰 兀乇丕丿 兀賳 賷賴丕丿賷 氐賴乇賴 , 賮鬲賮鬲賻賾賯賻 匕賴賳購賴 毓賱賶 賴丿賷丞 賲亘鬲賰乇丞 , 賵賴賵 賮賷賱 賴賳丿賶 賲乇賰賵賳 毓賳丿賴. 乇兀賶 賮賷賴 丕賱賴丿賷丞 丕賱賲賳丕爻亘丞 賱噩賱丕賱鬲賴 賵毓馗賲鬲賴 丕賱賲賱賰賷丞.
廿匕丕 : 賮丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲購爻鬲賲丿丞 賲賳 兀孬乇 鬲丕乇賷禺賶 丨丿孬 亘丕賱賮毓賱 , 毓賳丿賲丕 兀賴丿賶 賲賱賰 丕賱亘乇鬲睾丕賱 氐賴乇賴 兀乇卮賷丿賵賯 丕賱賳賲爻丕 賮賷賱丕賸 囟禺賲丕 .
賱賷賰賵賳 丕賱賮賷賱 (爻丕賱賲賵賳 ) 賴賵 亘胤賱 丕賱毓賲賱 賵賲丨賵乇賴丕 賵 賲丕 丨賵賱賴 賲賳 兀卮禺丕氐 賴賶 兀賱賵丕賳 鬲賰賲賷賱賷丞 賱鬲賰賲賱 丕賱賱賵丨丞 賵鬲馗賴乇 亘賴匕丕 丕賱卮賰賱 丕賱馗乇賷賮.
賱丕 兀丿乇賶 賴賱 賴賵 兀爻賱賵亘 爻丕乇丕賲噩賵 賲 丕爻賱賵亘 丕賱賲鬲乇噩賲 , 賵賱賰賳 丕賱丨爻 丕賱亘賱丕睾賶 賲賲賷夭 噩丿丕 賵胤乇賷賯丞 丕賱賰鬲丕亘丞 (賮賷賴丕 卮卅 ) 卮卅 賲賲賷夭 賵賳丕丿乇丕 賲丕 鬲賯丕亘賱賴 賮賶 丕賱兀毓賲丕賱 丕賱乇賵丕卅賷丞.
鬲賯賲氐 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賲亘賴乇 , 賷鬲丨丿孬 亘賱爻丕賳賴賲 賰兀賳賴賲 賴賵 .
賲賳 賵噩賴丞 賳馗乇賶 兀賮囟賱 卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賰丕賳鬲 卮禺氐賷丞 丕賱賮賷賾丕賱 (爻賵亘賴乇賵).
賮賶 丕賱賲噩賲賱 亘丿丕賷丞 賲賲鬲丕夭丞 賱賶 賲毓 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賵毓賲賱 賲賲賷夭 賱賱睾丕賷丞 .
January 6, 2016
Do You Know the Way to Pan Jos茅?
I'm afraid whatever subtlety and charm this novel supposedly has was lost on me.
I normally like to read an author's work chronologically, rather than jump in at the end and work backwards or around. I broke my rule in this case, and now I'm left wondering why Saramago was awarded the Nobel Prize. Is this, his last novel before he died in 2010, another case of the Nobel Curse, where you never write another decent work after you get the big one? Help me decide which of his novels to read next! Please!
This novel was relentlessly linear. There was no narrative arc that I could detect, unless you count the climb upwards through the Alps.
There were rarely two paragraphs on the same page. The longest I recorded before I stopped counting was 12 pages. Yet there was no apparent need for this longevity. Sentences were just added together with no cumulative effect, dynamism or creative tension.
Saramago was perfectly competent at establishing the feel of 1551 era Portugal, but every now and again the third person narrative anachronistically mentioned "all's well that ends well" (50 years before Shakespeare used the term, if you don't attribute it to John Heywood in 1546), film, cameras and "the third way" between capitalism and communism, without any apparent purpose or effect, other than to alienate me, the reader.
There were two or three occasions on which I grinned at some aside, but little of what I had expected from the blurb trumpeting its extremely funny and witty reflections. For all my sifting, I ended up with too little gold in my pan.
Nor was there any character development that I could tell. I loved the elephant, but even for him, it was no hero's journey (though thankfully the denouement wasn't like slaughter for elephants). He seemed to be as bored as me. No wonder, like Jos茅 himself, he died two years after the narrative ended. I hope I'm spared his fate.
SOUNDTRACK:
A Tribute to Jos茅 Saramago
Miguel Gon莽alves Mendes - "Jos茅 e Pilar"
"I have ideas for books, but she has ideas for life. I don鈥檛 know which is more important."
Dionne Warwick - "Do You Know the Way to Pan Jos茅?"
Lisbon is a great big freeway
Put a hundred down on a pachyderm,
Turn your back on your accounting firm
And you might find yourself on the way
To Vienna, by barge, from Innsbruck.
Hey! It's not my trip, it's in the book!
Do you know the way...(repeat)
Thanks to Steve for the inspiration!
[This review is dedicated to my school friend, Chrispy Chorizo.]
I'm afraid whatever subtlety and charm this novel supposedly has was lost on me.
I normally like to read an author's work chronologically, rather than jump in at the end and work backwards or around. I broke my rule in this case, and now I'm left wondering why Saramago was awarded the Nobel Prize. Is this, his last novel before he died in 2010, another case of the Nobel Curse, where you never write another decent work after you get the big one? Help me decide which of his novels to read next! Please!
This novel was relentlessly linear. There was no narrative arc that I could detect, unless you count the climb upwards through the Alps.
There were rarely two paragraphs on the same page. The longest I recorded before I stopped counting was 12 pages. Yet there was no apparent need for this longevity. Sentences were just added together with no cumulative effect, dynamism or creative tension.
Saramago was perfectly competent at establishing the feel of 1551 era Portugal, but every now and again the third person narrative anachronistically mentioned "all's well that ends well" (50 years before Shakespeare used the term, if you don't attribute it to John Heywood in 1546), film, cameras and "the third way" between capitalism and communism, without any apparent purpose or effect, other than to alienate me, the reader.
There were two or three occasions on which I grinned at some aside, but little of what I had expected from the blurb trumpeting its extremely funny and witty reflections. For all my sifting, I ended up with too little gold in my pan.
Nor was there any character development that I could tell. I loved the elephant, but even for him, it was no hero's journey (though thankfully the denouement wasn't like slaughter for elephants). He seemed to be as bored as me. No wonder, like Jos茅 himself, he died two years after the narrative ended. I hope I'm spared his fate.
SOUNDTRACK:
A Tribute to Jos茅 Saramago
Miguel Gon莽alves Mendes - "Jos茅 e Pilar"
"I have ideas for books, but she has ideas for life. I don鈥檛 know which is more important."
Dionne Warwick - "Do You Know the Way to Pan Jos茅?"
Lisbon is a great big freeway
Put a hundred down on a pachyderm,
Turn your back on your accounting firm
And you might find yourself on the way
To Vienna, by barge, from Innsbruck.
Hey! It's not my trip, it's in the book!
Do you know the way...(repeat)
Thanks to Steve for the inspiration!
[This review is dedicated to my school friend, Chrispy Chorizo.]
May 24, 2012
Yes, this is a book of historical fiction. It is based on a true event in history:
鈥淚n 1551, King Jo茫o III of Portugal gave Archduke Maximilian an unusual wedding present: an elephant named Solomon. The elephant's journey from Lisbon to Vienna was witnessed and remarked upon by scholars, historians, and ordinary people.鈥� , this being a direct quote from the book description.
And yet this book is primarily a book of humor. To be more explicit, it is a book of ironic satire. It is written with modern terminology. We are not to analyze the appropriateness of the terminology. These are NOT the expressions of the 1500s. They are not meant to be. Instead, we are meant to chuckle at the incongruence of our modern way of thinking and the historical events as they unfolded. It is very funny, and I praise Saramago for his ability to make me laugh. Read this book to laugh, not to learn of an historical event.
I chose to listen to this book because it does not employ the normal rules of punctuation. I do not like such writing. Paragraphs and rules of punctuation help a reader understand what is being said. Soooooo instead, I figured the narrator of this audio book could do the reading for me! I can just sit back and enjoy the content! If I had had to struggle through the reading myself, I am sure I would have given it less stars! The narrator was excellent. Her intonations were perfect. She has earned her money. It is worth paying a bit more for the audio version than struggling through the written, never ending sentences. That is what I think.
Do you want a sophisticated chuckle? Listen to this book.
鈥淚n 1551, King Jo茫o III of Portugal gave Archduke Maximilian an unusual wedding present: an elephant named Solomon. The elephant's journey from Lisbon to Vienna was witnessed and remarked upon by scholars, historians, and ordinary people.鈥� , this being a direct quote from the book description.
And yet this book is primarily a book of humor. To be more explicit, it is a book of ironic satire. It is written with modern terminology. We are not to analyze the appropriateness of the terminology. These are NOT the expressions of the 1500s. They are not meant to be. Instead, we are meant to chuckle at the incongruence of our modern way of thinking and the historical events as they unfolded. It is very funny, and I praise Saramago for his ability to make me laugh. Read this book to laugh, not to learn of an historical event.
I chose to listen to this book because it does not employ the normal rules of punctuation. I do not like such writing. Paragraphs and rules of punctuation help a reader understand what is being said. Soooooo instead, I figured the narrator of this audio book could do the reading for me! I can just sit back and enjoy the content! If I had had to struggle through the reading myself, I am sure I would have given it less stars! The narrator was excellent. Her intonations were perfect. She has earned her money. It is worth paying a bit more for the audio version than struggling through the written, never ending sentences. That is what I think.
Do you want a sophisticated chuckle? Listen to this book.
January 23, 2022
Foi a minha estreia com Jos茅 Saramago.
Gostei bastante, quero ler mais sem d煤vida.
Gostei bastante, quero ler mais sem d煤vida.
September 26, 2010
shortly after he began writing the elephant鈥檚 journey in 2007, jos茅 saramago was stricken with pneumonia and would conclude the year hospitalized in lanzarote from complications. a mere day after his discharge the following january, he resumed efforts on the novel, completing it in august 2008. hence the book鈥檚 dedication: 鈥渇or pilar, who wouldn鈥檛 let me die,鈥� a tribute to his wife (and translator of his works into spanish). saramago would go on to finish another novel (cain, to be published in english in 2011) before he passed away on the cusp of summer earlier this year at the age of 87.
the elephant鈥檚 journey is saramago鈥檚 fictionalized account relating the true tale of an elephant given to archduke maximilian as a wedding gift from his uncle, king jo茫o III of portugal, and its triumphant voyage upon foot and ship from lisbon to vienna in 1551. how saramago became inspired to tell this particular story is as serendipitous as any of the fantastic plots he is famous for having created. following a guest lecture at the university of salzburg, saramago鈥檚 inquisitive nature, evident during a chance dinner at an austrian restaurant called 鈥渢he elephant,鈥� provided enough fodder for his imagination to begin churning. he writes, 鈥渃ertain unknown fates came together that night in the city of mozart in order that this writer would ask: 鈥榳hat are those carvings over there?鈥欌€� those carvings illustrated the elephant鈥檚 remarkable sixteenth century journey across europe, and, thus, with the aid of some research, saramago鈥檚 fifteenth novel was born.
based in historical fact though it may be, the elephant鈥檚 journey is quintessential saramago storytelling at its finest. the book was aptly rendered from the portuguese by margaret jull costa, the eighth consecutive novel of his she has translated (in addition to her award-winning english adaptations of fernando pessoa, javier mar铆as, and e莽a de queiroz). many of the elements that have made his fiction so widely beloved are present, and, as such, both neophyte and devotee will find the book deeply rewarding. while the protracted, picturesque sentences and lack of traditional punctuation that mark saramago鈥檚 singular style are of course present, notable herein is his decision to forego the capitalization of proper nouns unless they occur at the beginning of a sentence (perhaps because he chose to recast historical figures and places beyond the realm of recorded fact).
solomon the elephant (later renamed suleiman) is richly conceived, as is subhro, the elephant鈥檚 mahout. much of the charm of aaramago鈥檚 characters rests in the lifelike manner in which he portrays them, often full of wisdom and hospitality, yet just as likely to commit an act of folly or selfishness. his narration of their lives often reflects this duality, 鈥渨hat a strange creature man is, so prone to terrible insomnias over mere nothings and yet capable of sleeping like a log on the eve of battle.鈥�
as with every novel, saramago often veers briefly from the narrative to muse upon the far-reaching ramifications of human nature, history, culture, government, and religion. strong in his convictions (however often mischaracterized by the international press), he seldom strays into moralizing, but instead offers seemingly simple observations and truisms of everyday life: 鈥減eople say a lot of things, and not all of them are true, but that is what human beings are like, they can as easily believe that the hair of an elephant, marinated in a little oil, can cure baldness, as imagine that they carry within them the one solitary light that will lead them along life鈥檚 paths, even through mountain passes. one way or another, as the wise old hermit of the alps once said, we will all have to die.鈥�
the elephant鈥檚 journey finds saramago at his most playful and lighthearted. though self-described as a pessimist, little trace of his contrarian tendencies is to be found. the overarching sense of adventure is what dominates the story, and however much hardship was endured (whether by sailing to italy or crossing the austrian alps), the characters remain mostly good-natured, aware as they are of both the import and novelty of their attempted feat. even the occasional aside directed at the reader remains upbeat and spirited, 鈥渋t鈥檚 hard to understand just why the archduke maximilian should have decided to make such a journey at this time of year, but that is how it鈥檚 set down in history, as an incontrovertible, documented fact, supported by historians and confirmed by the novelist, who must be forgiven for taking certain liberties with names, not only because it is his right to invent, but also because he had to fill in certain gaps so that the sacred coherence of the story was not lost. it must be said that history is always selective, and discriminatory too, selecting from life only what society deems to be historical and scorning the rest, which is precisely where we might find the true explanation of facts, of things, of wretched reality itself. in truth, i say to you, it is better to be a novelist, a fiction writer, a liar. or a mahout, despite the hare-brained fantasies to which, either by birth or profession, they seem to be prone.鈥�
after nearly a full calendar year, and some 1,800 or so miles over land and sea, the elephant and his entourage finally arrive in vienna. with their destination reached, pachyderm, procession, and reader alike are enjoined in an exultation that from the onset may have seemed somewhat unlikely. the elephant鈥檚 journey is a fantastic story of determination, and, like so many of his novels, succeeds on many a level. saramago, of all his many gifts for telling a compelling tale, ought to be remembered for his grace, his inimitable humor, and the resplendent humanity he brought to each of his works.
the portuguese government declared two days of mourning upon his death in june, and some 20,000 people attended his funeral. while a controversial figure to many, he left behind an acclaimed and accomplished body of work (including nearly two dozen works of poetry, drama, short stories, essays, journalism, diaries, a libretto, and a children鈥檚 book- all of which have yet to be translated into english). jos茅 saramago was long an important and respected figure in international letters, and with his death the world has lost a literary great. the epigraph for the elephant鈥檚 journey could not be any more succinctly or aptly put: 鈥渋n the end, we always arrive at the place where we are expected.鈥�
the sceptics are quite right when they say that the history of humanity is one long succession of missed opportunities. fortunately, thanks to the inexhaustible generosity of the imagination, we erase faults, fill in lacunae as best we can, forge passages through blind alleys that will remain stubbornly blind, and invent keys to doors that have never even had locks.
the elephant鈥檚 journey is saramago鈥檚 fictionalized account relating the true tale of an elephant given to archduke maximilian as a wedding gift from his uncle, king jo茫o III of portugal, and its triumphant voyage upon foot and ship from lisbon to vienna in 1551. how saramago became inspired to tell this particular story is as serendipitous as any of the fantastic plots he is famous for having created. following a guest lecture at the university of salzburg, saramago鈥檚 inquisitive nature, evident during a chance dinner at an austrian restaurant called 鈥渢he elephant,鈥� provided enough fodder for his imagination to begin churning. he writes, 鈥渃ertain unknown fates came together that night in the city of mozart in order that this writer would ask: 鈥榳hat are those carvings over there?鈥欌€� those carvings illustrated the elephant鈥檚 remarkable sixteenth century journey across europe, and, thus, with the aid of some research, saramago鈥檚 fifteenth novel was born.
based in historical fact though it may be, the elephant鈥檚 journey is quintessential saramago storytelling at its finest. the book was aptly rendered from the portuguese by margaret jull costa, the eighth consecutive novel of his she has translated (in addition to her award-winning english adaptations of fernando pessoa, javier mar铆as, and e莽a de queiroz). many of the elements that have made his fiction so widely beloved are present, and, as such, both neophyte and devotee will find the book deeply rewarding. while the protracted, picturesque sentences and lack of traditional punctuation that mark saramago鈥檚 singular style are of course present, notable herein is his decision to forego the capitalization of proper nouns unless they occur at the beginning of a sentence (perhaps because he chose to recast historical figures and places beyond the realm of recorded fact).
solomon the elephant (later renamed suleiman) is richly conceived, as is subhro, the elephant鈥檚 mahout. much of the charm of aaramago鈥檚 characters rests in the lifelike manner in which he portrays them, often full of wisdom and hospitality, yet just as likely to commit an act of folly or selfishness. his narration of their lives often reflects this duality, 鈥渨hat a strange creature man is, so prone to terrible insomnias over mere nothings and yet capable of sleeping like a log on the eve of battle.鈥�
as with every novel, saramago often veers briefly from the narrative to muse upon the far-reaching ramifications of human nature, history, culture, government, and religion. strong in his convictions (however often mischaracterized by the international press), he seldom strays into moralizing, but instead offers seemingly simple observations and truisms of everyday life: 鈥減eople say a lot of things, and not all of them are true, but that is what human beings are like, they can as easily believe that the hair of an elephant, marinated in a little oil, can cure baldness, as imagine that they carry within them the one solitary light that will lead them along life鈥檚 paths, even through mountain passes. one way or another, as the wise old hermit of the alps once said, we will all have to die.鈥�
the elephant鈥檚 journey finds saramago at his most playful and lighthearted. though self-described as a pessimist, little trace of his contrarian tendencies is to be found. the overarching sense of adventure is what dominates the story, and however much hardship was endured (whether by sailing to italy or crossing the austrian alps), the characters remain mostly good-natured, aware as they are of both the import and novelty of their attempted feat. even the occasional aside directed at the reader remains upbeat and spirited, 鈥渋t鈥檚 hard to understand just why the archduke maximilian should have decided to make such a journey at this time of year, but that is how it鈥檚 set down in history, as an incontrovertible, documented fact, supported by historians and confirmed by the novelist, who must be forgiven for taking certain liberties with names, not only because it is his right to invent, but also because he had to fill in certain gaps so that the sacred coherence of the story was not lost. it must be said that history is always selective, and discriminatory too, selecting from life only what society deems to be historical and scorning the rest, which is precisely where we might find the true explanation of facts, of things, of wretched reality itself. in truth, i say to you, it is better to be a novelist, a fiction writer, a liar. or a mahout, despite the hare-brained fantasies to which, either by birth or profession, they seem to be prone.鈥�
after nearly a full calendar year, and some 1,800 or so miles over land and sea, the elephant and his entourage finally arrive in vienna. with their destination reached, pachyderm, procession, and reader alike are enjoined in an exultation that from the onset may have seemed somewhat unlikely. the elephant鈥檚 journey is a fantastic story of determination, and, like so many of his novels, succeeds on many a level. saramago, of all his many gifts for telling a compelling tale, ought to be remembered for his grace, his inimitable humor, and the resplendent humanity he brought to each of his works.
the portuguese government declared two days of mourning upon his death in june, and some 20,000 people attended his funeral. while a controversial figure to many, he left behind an acclaimed and accomplished body of work (including nearly two dozen works of poetry, drama, short stories, essays, journalism, diaries, a libretto, and a children鈥檚 book- all of which have yet to be translated into english). jos茅 saramago was long an important and respected figure in international letters, and with his death the world has lost a literary great. the epigraph for the elephant鈥檚 journey could not be any more succinctly or aptly put: 鈥渋n the end, we always arrive at the place where we are expected.鈥�
the sceptics are quite right when they say that the history of humanity is one long succession of missed opportunities. fortunately, thanks to the inexhaustible generosity of the imagination, we erase faults, fill in lacunae as best we can, forge passages through blind alleys that will remain stubbornly blind, and invent keys to doors that have never even had locks.
June 11, 2023
Out of a page of history, Saramago gives us the story of the king of Portugal bestowing upon the archduke of Austria an Indian elephant and the mahout who cares for it. Foibles and idiosyncrasies of humans and pachyderms abound in the sweet and silly tale, peopled with royalty and church leaders, military men and farmers, grunt workers and villagers, and one Indian trying to make sense of them all.
Three and a half stars.
Three and a half stars.
December 30, 2020
Im Jahr 1551 schenkt der portugiesische K枚nig seinem 枚sterreichischen Monarchenkollegen einen Elefanten 馃悩 aus seinem Besitztum mit entsprechendem Elefantenf眉hrer aus Indien. Eine wahre Geschichte. Saramago hat sie entdeckt, als er im Salzburger Hotel 鈥瀂um Elefanten鈥� weilte. Er lie脽 sich von der Geschichte anfixen, recherchierte und brachte diesen kleinen Roman heraus, seinen Vorletzten bevor er starb.
Die Messlatte liegt bei mir hoch, wenn ein Literaturnobelpreistr盲ger einen historischen Roman schreibt. Saramago hat versucht es mit schelmischem Augenzwickern zu erz盲hlen, einem cleveren Elefantenf眉hrer mit allerlei Weisheiten aus seiner asiatischen Heimat und weniger clevere Portugiesen, die meinen, ein Elefantentransport w盲re ja kein Problem 眉ber diese weite Strecke im Winter. Immerhin hatte es Hannibal 1700 Jahre zuvor mit 40 Elefanten 眉ber die Alpen geschafft.
Mir war dies alles zu bem眉ht, zu gewollt am眉sant und auch oft flach in den Dialogen (Inder: 鈥濫s liegt in der H盲nden des Elefanten, ob wir die Alpen 眉berqueren.鈥� Portugiese: 鈥濫in Elefant hat keine H盲nde鈥�. Inder: 鈥濫s war ja auch nur bildhaft gemeint鈥� 馃ケ). Die ersten zwei Drittel des Romans sind sehr beh盲big. Erst als der Brenner passiert ist und sich Saramago als allwissender, moderner Erz盲hler kommentierend in die Geschichte einmischt, konnte ich etwas von dem versprochenen Humor erkennen. Insgesamt dann doch ganz in Ordnung, aber kein gro脽er Wurf. Wohlwollende drei Sterne.
Die Messlatte liegt bei mir hoch, wenn ein Literaturnobelpreistr盲ger einen historischen Roman schreibt. Saramago hat versucht es mit schelmischem Augenzwickern zu erz盲hlen, einem cleveren Elefantenf眉hrer mit allerlei Weisheiten aus seiner asiatischen Heimat und weniger clevere Portugiesen, die meinen, ein Elefantentransport w盲re ja kein Problem 眉ber diese weite Strecke im Winter. Immerhin hatte es Hannibal 1700 Jahre zuvor mit 40 Elefanten 眉ber die Alpen geschafft.
Mir war dies alles zu bem眉ht, zu gewollt am眉sant und auch oft flach in den Dialogen (Inder: 鈥濫s liegt in der H盲nden des Elefanten, ob wir die Alpen 眉berqueren.鈥� Portugiese: 鈥濫in Elefant hat keine H盲nde鈥�. Inder: 鈥濫s war ja auch nur bildhaft gemeint鈥� 馃ケ). Die ersten zwei Drittel des Romans sind sehr beh盲big. Erst als der Brenner passiert ist und sich Saramago als allwissender, moderner Erz盲hler kommentierend in die Geschichte einmischt, konnte ich etwas von dem versprochenen Humor erkennen. Insgesamt dann doch ganz in Ordnung, aber kein gro脽er Wurf. Wohlwollende drei Sterne.
October 12, 2016
Others have repeated the story and given the background to Saramago writing this book which is written in long, long sentences with little punctuation and no quotation marks which means you have to really concentrate on conversations to follow who is speaking and when because it might be the elephant or the archduke or the mahout or in fact anybody else, and also because the author just witters on and on, often going completely off piste and crossing centuries in terms of terminology and observations in the spirit of Chelmsford 123 if anyone remembers it. Phew! Quite an exhausting read because of its style but very funny at times, definitely quirky, and heavens am I really using this word, sweet. My first Saramago. If I thought they were all like this, I wouldn't read any more but they can't possibly be so I'll give him another chance. All suggestions, my 欧宝娱乐 friends, are welcome.
April 5, 2025
Knowing this was his last book, I felt that perhaps it wouldn't read that well. his style was there that I loved as well, it was an unfamiliar story about the first elephant sent to Vienna in the 16th century but somehow I felt something was missing. A good finale to an excellent author's career but perhaps more for the collection.
March 3, 2021
N茫o sendo, para mim, o melhor livro que j谩 li de Saramago gostei bastante de acompanhar este elefante Salom茫o ou Solim茫o pela Europa fora.
Prodigiosa como sempre a imagina莽茫o de Saramago 鉂わ笍
Prodigiosa como sempre a imagina莽茫o de Saramago 鉂わ笍
July 9, 2021
丕禺賷乇丕 亘毓丿 乇丨賱丞 亘胤賷卅丞 賲毓 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賰亘胤卅 丕賱賮賷賱 爻丕賱賲賵賳.
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賵鬲爻賯胤 兀賷囟丕 毓賱賶 丕賱毓賱丕賯丞 丕賱鬲賳丕賮毓賷丞 亘賷賳 丕賱賰賳賷爻丞 賵丕賱丕賲亘乇丕胤賵乇
賵丕賷囟丕 丨亘 丕賱丕賵乇賵亘賷賵賳 丕賱廿賷賲丕賳 亘丕賱禺乇丕賮丕鬲.
賮賰乇丞 噩賲賷賱丞 丕賳 鬲爻賯胤 毓賱賶 賵囟毓 賲丕 毓賳 胤乇賷賯 丨丿孬 睾賷乇 賲賴賲 亘丕賱賲乇丞 賮賷 丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺 丕賱兀賵乇賵亘賷 賱賰賳 爻乇丕賲丕噩賵 賮卮賱 賮賷 鬲賵馗賷賮 丕賱賮賰乇丞 亘胤乇賷賯丞 噩賲賷賱丞 賵鬲卮丿 丕賱賯丕乇卅 賮丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 侉贍% 賲賳賴丕 毓亘丕乇丞 毓賳 丨卮賵 賱鬲胤賵賷賱 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賱丕 兀賰孬乇.
賵賱賵賱丕 丕賱賮賰乇丞 賱賲丕 丕毓胤賷鬲賴丕 賵賱丕 丨鬲賶 賳噩賲丞 賵丕丨丿丞 賱賱賲賱 丕賱賱賷 丨氐賱賷 亘爻亘亘 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丿賷.
亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕丨賲丿 毓亘丿 丕賱賱胤賷賮 賲鬲乇噩賲 賰賵賷爻 噩丿丕 亘爻 賱賲 賷賰賳 賲賵賮賯 賲毓賶 爻乇丕賲丕噩賵 賮兀毓賲丕賱賴 鬲丨鬲丕噩 氐丕賱丨 毓賱賲丕賳賷 賱氐毓賵亘丞 丕賱爻乇丿.
賷兀禺匕賰 爻乇丕賲丕噩賵 賮賷 乇丨賱丞 賲賳 丕賱亘乇鬲睾丕賱 賱賱賳賲爻丕 毓亘乇 賲爻賷乇丞 丕賱賮賷賱 爻丕賱賲賵賳 丕賱賲賴丿賶 廿賱賶 丕乇卮賷丿賵賯 丕賱賳賲爻丕 賲毓 乇丕毓賷賴 爻賵亘賴乇賵 丕賱賮胤賳 賵丕賱賮乇賯丞丕賱亘乇鬲睾丕賱賷丞 丕賱賲乇丕賮賯丞 賱賱賲爻賷乇丞.
鬲賲乇 賲爻賷乇丞 丕賱賮賷賱 毓亘乇 賲丿賳 兀賵乇賵亘丕 賵氐賵賱丕 廿賱賶 賮賷賷賳丕 賮鬲乇賶 兀丨賵丕賱 兀賵乇賵亘丕 丕賱賰丕孬賵賱賷賰賷丞 丕賱賵丕賯毓丞 鬲丨鬲 丨賰賲 賵爻賷胤乇丞 丕賱賰賳賷爻丞 賵丨丕賱丞 丕賱鬲賵鬲乇 賮賷 丕賱賰賳賷爻丞 丕賱賰丕孬賵賱賷賰賷丞 亘毓丿賲丕 兀毓賱賳 賲丕乇鬲賳 賱賵孬乇 丕賮賰丕乇賴 賵賲匕賴亘賴 丕賱亘乇賵鬲爻鬲丕賳鬲賷 丕賱噩丿賷丿 丕賱匕賷 賷賱睾賷 鬲丨賰賲 丕賱賰賳賷爻丞 丕賱賲鬲睾胤乇爻丞 賮鬲乇賶 賲丨丕賵賱丕鬲 丕賱亘丕亘丕賵丕鬲 賱禺賱賯 賳賵毓 賲賳 丕賱賲毓噩夭丕鬲 丕賱廿賱賴賷丞 賱賲賳毓 丕賳鬲卮丕乇 鬲賱賰 丕賱丿毓賵丞 丕賱噩丿賷丿丞 丕賱鬲賷 爻賵賮 鬲賱睾賷 丨賰賲 丕賱賰賳賷爻丞 鬲賲丕賲丕.
賵鬲爻賯胤 兀賷囟丕 毓賱賶 丕賱毓賱丕賯丞 丕賱鬲賳丕賮毓賷丞 亘賷賳 丕賱賰賳賷爻丞 賵丕賱丕賲亘乇丕胤賵乇
賵丕賷囟丕 丨亘 丕賱丕賵乇賵亘賷賵賳 丕賱廿賷賲丕賳 亘丕賱禺乇丕賮丕鬲.
賮賰乇丞 噩賲賷賱丞 丕賳 鬲爻賯胤 毓賱賶 賵囟毓 賲丕 毓賳 胤乇賷賯 丨丿孬 睾賷乇 賲賴賲 亘丕賱賲乇丞 賮賷 丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺 丕賱兀賵乇賵亘賷 賱賰賳 爻乇丕賲丕噩賵 賮卮賱 賮賷 鬲賵馗賷賮 丕賱賮賰乇丞 亘胤乇賷賯丞 噩賲賷賱丞 賵鬲卮丿 丕賱賯丕乇卅 賮丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 侉贍% 賲賳賴丕 毓亘丕乇丞 毓賳 丨卮賵 賱鬲胤賵賷賱 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賱丕 兀賰孬乇.
賵賱賵賱丕 丕賱賮賰乇丞 賱賲丕 丕毓胤賷鬲賴丕 賵賱丕 丨鬲賶 賳噩賲丞 賵丕丨丿丞 賱賱賲賱 丕賱賱賷 丨氐賱賷 亘爻亘亘 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丿賷.
亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕丨賲丿 毓亘丿 丕賱賱胤賷賮 賲鬲乇噩賲 賰賵賷爻 噩丿丕 亘爻 賱賲 賷賰賳 賲賵賮賯 賲毓賶 爻乇丕賲丕噩賵 賮兀毓賲丕賱賴 鬲丨鬲丕噩 氐丕賱丨 毓賱賲丕賳賷 賱氐毓賵亘丞 丕賱爻乇丿.
March 2, 2018
No voy a hablar de la historia ya que todos pueden saber o imag铆nese de que trata el libro con tan solo leer la contraportada. Y s铆, literal el libro narra todo un viaje de un elefante que m谩s bien fue un regalo.
Fue un libro muy dif铆cil de leer para m铆, dur茅 m谩s de lo que pensaba y aunque leyera varias p谩ginas en un momento, sent铆a que no avanzaba y esto se debe a la forma en que est谩 escrito, ya para terminar de leer este libro, no me terminaba de gustar, no sab铆a que era lo que realmente me quer铆a dar a entender Saramago. Pero ya para finalizar comenc茅 a entender y a comprender toda esta historia y fue lo que hizo que me gustara tanto este libro, ya que si el libro hubiera terminado unas p谩ginas antes, le hubiera dado una estrella y ahora tiene cinco.
Definitivamente volver铆a a leer un libro de Jos茅 Saramago, fue un viaje largo, pero vali贸 la pena.
Fue un libro muy dif铆cil de leer para m铆, dur茅 m谩s de lo que pensaba y aunque leyera varias p谩ginas en un momento, sent铆a que no avanzaba y esto se debe a la forma en que est谩 escrito, ya para terminar de leer este libro, no me terminaba de gustar, no sab铆a que era lo que realmente me quer铆a dar a entender Saramago. Pero ya para finalizar comenc茅 a entender y a comprender toda esta historia y fue lo que hizo que me gustara tanto este libro, ya que si el libro hubiera terminado unas p谩ginas antes, le hubiera dado una estrella y ahora tiene cinco.
Definitivamente volver铆a a leer un libro de Jos茅 Saramago, fue un viaje largo, pero vali贸 la pena.
August 16, 2024
脦n stilul binecunoscut (葯i care l-a f膬cut celebru) al lui Saramago, cititorul este purtat 卯n 卯ndep膬rtata, rustica, rurala lume a Europei luterane a secolului 葯aisprezece, acolo unde va c膬l膬tori al膬turi de un elefant indian 葯i de 卯nso葲itorul s膬u, din capitala Portugaliei p芒n膬 la Viena. Elefantul este extravagantul dar de nunt膬 oferit de regele portughez Joao v膬rului s膬u Maximilian, arhiduce austriac. Dup膬 ce a fost adus 卯n 葲ar膬 de marinarii portughezi (ale c膬ror rute, 葯tim cu to葲ii, se deschid spre destina葲ii exotice 卯nc膬 de la sf芒r葯itul secolului al cincisprezecelea), animalul a reprezentat pentru scurt膬 vreme principala atrac葲ie a capitalei. Acum 卯ns膬 zace 卯ntr-un staul murdar, uitat de to葲i, f膬r膬 nicio alt膬 folosin葲膬 dec芒t aceea de a rumega cantit膬葲i enorme de verdea葲膬.
April 17, 2018
Qu茅 libro tan hermoso y humano. Una traves铆a inolvidable llena de maravillosas historias que nos llevan m谩s all谩 de la imaginaci贸n, hay varias ense帽anzas y an茅cdotas, escenas angustiantes tambi茅n divertidas y todo esto escrito de brillante manera.
September 4, 2022
Classifica莽茫o e review em breve... Ainda a refletir sobre da leitura.
Viagem por Saramago (por ordem de prefer锚ncia):
#1 - Memorial do Convento
#2 - Ensaio sobre a Cegueira
#3 - A Viagem do Elefante
Viagem por Saramago (por ordem de prefer锚ncia):
#1 - Memorial do Convento
#2 - Ensaio sobre a Cegueira
#3 - A Viagem do Elefante
November 2, 2021
N茫o 茅 f谩cil ler Saramago. Mas vale a pena.
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