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Mark André 's Reviews > The History of the Siege of Lisbon
The History of the Siege of Lisbon
by
by
A delightful, mature and sensitive love story surrounded by a bizarre fictionalized narrative of the bloody and violent expulsion by Portuguese Christians of the Islamic Moors from Lisbon in 1174. A simple quiet 50 year old bachelor meets an attractive and successful 40 year old divorcé. She likes him and politely seduces him. He likes her. They’re happy together. The intimacy of the bedroom scenes is touching and sincere. A beautiful feel good story oddly surrounded by hatred and death, but also accomplishment, as Lisbon does become Portuguese. Cool book. Fun to read. My new favorite Saramago. Five stars!
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Reading Progress
March 1, 2019
– Shelved
March 1, 2019
– Shelved as:
want-to-read-i
March 1, 2019
– Shelved as:
to-read
April 29, 2020
–
Started Reading
April 29, 2020
– Shelved as:
Dzé-
April 30, 2020
–
0.0%
"Until you attain the truth,
you will not be able to amend it.
But if you do not amend it
you will not attain it. Meanwhile,
do not resign yourself.
from The Book of Exhortations"
page
0
you will not be able to amend it.
But if you do not amend it
you will not attain it. Meanwhile,
do not resign yourself.
from The Book of Exhortations"
May 1, 2020
–
0.96%
"it reminds me of a snake that changes its mind just before it is about to bite its tail"
page
3
May 1, 2020
–
0.96%
"it reminds me of a snake that changes its mind just before it is about to bite its tail
anyone looking absent-mindedly will imagine my hand is about to trace the dreaded circle"
page
3
anyone looking absent-mindedly will imagine my hand is about to trace the dreaded circle"
May 1, 2020
–
1.59%
"Then why would you not say, in the dark ages, Because the age ceased to be dark when people began to write, or to amend, a task, I repeat, which calls for other refinements and a different form of transfiguration, I like the phrase, Me, too, mainly because it’s the first time I’ve used it, the second time it will have less charm"
page
5
May 1, 2020
–
1.91%
"only the proof-reader has learnt that the task of amending is the only one that will never end in this world"
page
6
May 1, 2020
–
2.23%
"Are you familiar with the proverb, If you don’t have a dog , go hunting with a cat, in other words, the man who cannot write, paints or draws"
page
7
May 1, 2020
–
2.55%
"Sir, are you sure, Truly, you are a walking interrogation and disbelief endowed with arms, That only leaves my head, Everything in its own good time, the brain was the last thing to be invented, Sir, you are a sage, Don’t exaggerate, my friend"
page
8
May 1, 2020
–
2.87%
"He always woke at this hour, according to the sun..he needed no instrument to measure time, nothing other than the infinitesimal change in the darkness of the room, the first hint of light barely glimpsed on his forehead, like a gentle breath passing over his eyebrows, or that first and almost imponderable caress..the exclusive and secret art..of those beautiful houris who attend the believers in Mohammed’s paradise."
page
9
May 1, 2020
–
4.14%
"because just as there are miracles that do good, some miracles have proved to be harmful, as those wretched pigs in Holy Scripture can testify, for they threw themselves over the precipice when Sweet Jesus put the demons that had been plaguing the possessed man into their bodies"
page
13
May 1, 2020
–
5.41%
"but the truth should we ever discover it, must be put above all other considerations...wherefore we should here and now take as unwritten the words that describe the tranquil dawn of Lisbon, were we not already aware that that spurious discourse, although coherent, and that is the greatest danger of all, never emerged from the proof-reader’s mind and was nothing more than absurd and fanciful daydreaming."
page
17
May 2, 2020
–
6.37%
"In the first instance, these result from the imperfection of the senses, from the influence of preconceptions and passions, from our habit of judging everything according to inherited wisdom, from our insatiable curiosity notwithstanding the limitations imposed on our mind because of our tendency to find more analogies amongst things than actually exist."
page
20
May 2, 2020
–
6.69%
"The historical truth, take note, is that the muezzins were chosen from amongst the blind, not because of any humanitarian policy of providing work or professional training they could cope with physically, but to prevent them from infringing upon the privacy of the courtyards and roof terraces from the dominant position at the top of the minaret."
page
21
May 3, 2020
–
6.37%
"In the second instance, the source of errors comes from the difference between minds, some that lose themselves in details, others in vast generalizations, as well as from our preference for certain sciences to which we are inclined to reduce everything. As for the third category, that of linguistic errors, the problem is that words often no longer have any meaning, or that meaning is indeterminate..in the fourth cat"
page
20
May 3, 2020
–
6.37%
"In the second instance, the source of errors comes from the difference between minds, some that lose themselves in details, others in vast generalizations, as well as from our preference for certain sciences to which we are inclined to reduce everything. As for the third category, that of linguistic errors, the problem is that words often no longer have any meaning, or that meaning is indeterminate"
page
20
May 3, 2020
–
7.96%
"it is easier to love than to be loved, and this last comment, which sounds like the echo of some past sorrow, now transformed into a precept for the benefit of the presumptuous, this comment...he addresses to himself, for he is much too reserved a man to go around pouring out his heart to those friends and acquaintances he is bound to have, although there will probably be no need to bring them into the story"
page
25
May 3, 2020
–
9.55%
"how right that author was who asked one day, What would Juliet’s complexion have looked like if examined with the eyes of a hawk, now then, the proof-reader in his vigilant task, is just like the hawk, even when his eyes have started to tire, but when he comes to the final reading, he is that self-same Romeo gazing upon Juliet for the first time, innocent, and transfixed with love."
page
30
May 4, 2020
–
10.83%
"and on the next centenary of the conquest of Lisbon from the Moors, in the year two thousand and forty-seven, if Lisbon still exists and continues to be inhabited by the Portuguese, some president or other will evoke that sublime moment when the insignia of the proud victors triumphantly replaced the unholy crescent of the moon in the blue skies of our lovely city."
page
34
May 4, 2020
–
12.42%
"and besides, we have to admit that we are often too lazy to verify the meaning of a word in the dictionary, with inevitable consequences."
page
39
May 4, 2020
–
13.69%
"Raimundo Silva thought to himself, in the manner of Fernando Pessoa, If I smoked, I should now light a cigarette, watching the river, thinking how vague and uncertain everything is, but, not smoking, I should simply think that everything is truly uncertain and vague, without a cigarette, even though the cigarette, were I to smoke it, would in itself express the uncertainty and vagueness of things, like smoke itself,"
page
43
May 4, 2020
–
14.65%
"Toasted bread for this man of norms and principles is almost a vice and truly a manifestation of uncontrollable greed, wherein enter multiple sensations, both of vision and touch, as well as smell and taste...that mouth-watering taste, so difficult to describe...the person who invented such a delicacy deserves to be in heaven."
page
46
May 4, 2020
–
14.65%
"One day...he had the impression that this perfect creation made from bread and fire was being transfused into his blood, because, frankly, even the butter was superfluous and he would happily done without, although only a fool would refuse this final addition to the essential which only serves to increase one’s appetite and enjoyment...the same could be said of love...if only the proof-reader were more experienced."
page
46
May 4, 2020
–
14.97%
"we try to reconstitute the moment...the moment that passed while we were reconstituting some other time...from one moment to the next, every novel, is like this, desperation, a frustrated attempt to save something of the past. Except that it still has not been established whether it is the novel that prevents man from forgetting himself or the impossibility of forgetfulness that makes him write novels."
page
47
May 4, 2020
–
15.92%
"Dostoevsky got away the first time, but not the second time. ...Raimundo appears to be still pondering what he will finally do, but this pondering is misleading, mere appearances, the proof-reader inwardly imagines a debate with a foregone conclusion, here prevailed that familiar saying of intransigent chess-players, once handled, a pawn has been played, my dear Alekhine, what I have written, I have written."
page
50
May 5, 2020
–
16.88%
"and, those inevitable croissants, in the shape dictated by the French word, a pastry that has risen only to collapse at the first bite and disintegrate until there are nothing but crumbs left on the plate, tiny celestial bodies which the huge wet finger of Allah is lifting to his mouth, then all that remains will be a terrible cosmic void, if being and nothingness are compatible."
page
53
May 5, 2020
–
17.52%
"And so we can see how, quite naturally, and without any effort, by passing quietly from one episode to another, we soar from that mille feuille eaten by a woman in the Cafe Graciosa, to Him who feels no hunger, yet who has endowed us with a thousand desires and needs."
page
55
May 5, 2020
–
18.79%
"for it might well be that Lisbon, contrary to all appearances, was not a city but a woman, and the perdition simply amorous, assuming that the restrictive adverb has some meaning here, and that this is not the only blissful perdition. The dog drew near once more..."
page
59
May 6, 2020
–
20.06%
"a traditional Portuguese meal of fried fish and rice with tomato sauce and a salad, and with any luck, the tender leaves of the lettuce heart, where, something not many people know, nestles the incomparable freshness of the morning, the dew and mist, which are one and the same, but warrant repetition for the simple pleasure of writing both words and savoring the sound."
page
63
May 6, 2020
–
20.06%
"a traditional Portuguese meal of fried fish and rice with tomato sauce and salad, and with any luck, the tender leaves of the lettuce heart, where, something not many people know, nestles the incomparable freshness of the morning, the dew and mist, which are one and the same, but warrant repetition for the simple pleasure of writing both words and savoring the sound."
page
63
May 6, 2020
–
22.93%
"Raimundo Silva is not the least bit calm, he only looks calm, thanks to the disorientation provoked by the unexpected course of this dialogue which he had imagined would be literally catastrophic, the solemn formal accusation, his stuttering attempts to defend the indefensible, the vexation, heavy irony, the diatribe, threats, perhaps dismissal to cap all this or render it unnecessary, You’re fired"
page
72
May 7, 2020
–
25.48%
"Throughout the journey...he had managed not to think, some find this impossible, but Raimundo Silva has mastered the art of floating vague ideas, like clouds that stay apart, and he even knows how to blow away any idea that gets too close, the important thing is that they should not come into contact thus creating a continuum or, something worse, if there is electricity in the mental atmosphere...thunder...lighting."
page
80
May 7, 2020
–
26.43%
"Who can she be, Raimundo Silva wondered, and as the thought crossed his mind, he inadvertently slackened the rein with which he had been guiding the thought, enough for him to...start thinking for himself, she is still a young woman, not quite forty, not as tall as he first imagined, pale complexion, brown hair worn loose, eyes the same color, almost as dark, and a tiny, round mouth, tiny and round, tiny, round round"
page
83
May 7, 2020
–
26.75%
"These reflections had prevented Raimundo Silva from asking outright, What is her name, and now that he had asked he is unable to think of anything else, as if...he had finally arrived at his destiny, a word used here with its common meaning, in terms of a journey, without any ontological or existential derivations, simply that well-known expression of travelers, I’ve arrived, thinking they know what awaits them."
page
84
May 8, 2020
–
30.89%
"Dr Maria Sara wears no rings to suggest that she is married. As for her blouse, chemise, or whatever it is called, it looks like being made of silk, in a pale shade difficult to describe, beige, old ivory, off-white, whether it is possible that fingertips tremble differently according to the colours they touch or caress, we cannot say."
page
97
May 8, 2020
–
32.48%
"We usually go to the window to see what the weather is like, to examine the sky, to follow the clouds, to dream with the moon, to respond to someone’s cry, to observe the neighbors, and also to occupy our roving eyes by distracting them, while our thoughts accompany the images they capture, born just as words are born, just like them."
page
102
May 8, 2020
–
0.0%
"without any vestige of...insomnia, even less of the dreams he had when he finally fell asleep from sheer exhaustion, mere fragments, meaningless images where no light reaches, impenetrable even for the narrator, whom the ill-informed believe to know all the facts and to be holding all the keys, were this so, one of the good things the world still possesses would be lost, privacy, the mystery surrounding characters."
May 8, 2020
–
0.0%
"without any vestige of...insomnia, even less of the dreams he had when he finally fell asleep from sheer exhaustion, mere fragments, meaningless images where no light reaches, impenetrable even for the narrator, whom the ill-informed believe to know all the facts and to be holding all the keys, were this so, one of the good things the world still possesses would be lost, privacy, the mystery surrounding characters."
May 9, 2020
–
33.0%
"In fact, without a proper explanation, which only he himself could give, and not wishing to hazard any assumptions and hypotheses, which would be no more than reckless, foolhardy judgements, it becomes impossible to establish that desired and reassuring direct relationship which would convert any human life to an irresistible chain of logical facts"
May 10, 2020
–
33.0%
"the effect, if it can still be called that, raises questions, demanding that we should explain its basis and origin, and also its cause which...as everyone knows, in this entire quadrille, it is up to us to find meanings and definitions, when we would rather close our eyes quietly and let this world go by, for it excercises much greater control over us than it allows to excerise in return."
May 10, 2020
–
33.0%
"the effect, if it can still be called that, raises questions, demanding that we should explain its basis and origin, and also its cause which...as everyone knows, in this entire quadrille, it is up to us to find meanings and definitions, when we would rather close our eyes quietly and let this world go by, for it excercises much greater control over us than it allows us to excerise in return."
May 10, 2020
–
34.08%
"What am I going to write, this is not the only question, because another occurred to him almost immediately, just as peremptory and with such a sense of urgency that we might be tempted to accept it as the effect of a sudden reflex, but prudence tells us...lest we end up mentally confused once again, to draw a distinction between essential and intimate relationships and casual relationships, this at the very least"
page
107
May 10, 2020
–
36.62%
"This was not the first time he had thought about Dr Maria Sara...
Now...coming out of the elevator...she was wearing a tweed skirt belted at the waist, and a blouse or chemise...in a color impossible to define, no, not impossible, because Raimundo Silva has already come up with the exact shade, the off-white of the sky at dawn, a color that does not really exist in nature...but that anyone who so wishes can invent"
page
115
Now...coming out of the elevator...she was wearing a tweed skirt belted at the waist, and a blouse or chemise...in a color impossible to define, no, not impossible, because Raimundo Silva has already come up with the exact shade, the off-white of the sky at dawn, a color that does not really exist in nature...but that anyone who so wishes can invent"
May 11, 2020
–
40.45%
"Dr Maria Sara was not convinced that he had spent the whole day working on the book of poems...however since she had no possible means of knowing how he had occupied his time...she had resorted to guessing, typical of women, all of them think of themselves as being sybils and sorceresses, and end up deceiving themselves like the most common of those feeble men whom they regard with ironic and indulgent benevolence."
page
127
May 11, 2020
–
43.95%
"These precautions are worth repeating so that we may bear in mind the importance of not confusing appearances with reality, but we do not know how or why we should doubt, when we thought we were certain of some reality which looks and sounds convincing, that it might simply be another version among many, or, worse still, be the only version and proclaimed as such."
page
138
May 11, 2020
–
45.22%
"oh god of dogs, why have you condemned so many of us to a miserable existence, it is always the same, we blame the gods for this and that, when it is we who invent and fabricate everything, including absolution for these and other crimes"
page
142
May 11, 2020
–
45.86%
"The lift is ancient and cramped, perfect for intimate encounters were it not for the transparency of the glass doors and the side panels, nevertheless there is an interval between two floors, and so long as you keep an attentive eye on the flights of stairs, going up on the one side, going down on the other, it is always possible to touch hands or even steal a furtive kiss, if you are feeling desperate."
page
144
May 11, 2020
–
47.45%
"it is as if he were seeing this face for the first time, how often he had thought about Dr Maria Sara in recent days, and in the end, he had no image of her in his mind, her name alone had occupied all the available space in his memory, progressively displacing her hair, eyes, features, the gestures she made with her hands, all he could remotely recognize was the softness of that silk,"
page
149
May 11, 2020
–
47.77%
"The intimate murmur that makes roses bloom, he repeated to himself, and he could hear, incredible as it may seem, the ineffable caress of the petals, or was it a sleeve rubbing against the curve of her breast, dear God, take pity on men sho spend their lives imagining things."
page
150
May 11, 2020
–
48.09%
"but most unexpected of all, is that a woman so sure of herself should suddenly become perturbed to the point of blushing, it happened in a flash, but flagrant, it seems quite incredible that anyone should blush so in this day and age, what could she have thought, if she thought anything, it was if the man, on touching the rose, had brought out some hidden intimacy in the woman, spiritual rather than physical."
page
151
May 11, 2020
–
48.41%
"can I offer you a lift, With his hand gripping the door-handle, he tried desperately to appear natural, and how much effort it cost him, one part of him commanded, Be off with you, the other eyed him like a judge and decreed, You won’t get a second chance"
page
152
May 12, 2020
–
48.73%
"When the car came to a halt outside the front door (RS), although unsure as to whether this was an act of politeness, felt he ought to invite her up, and then repented, It is rather tactless, he thought, besides..she is my boss, whereupon she said, Perhaps another time, it’s getting late. We could debate for hours about this..for (RS) could swear that the words she spoke just then were different..It is not yet time."
page
153
May 13, 2020
–
50.96%
"He jotted down this thought..on a loose sheet of paper, hoping to use it later, perhaps in some pondered statement about the mystery of writing which will probably culminate..in the precise and sober declaration that the mystery lies in the absence of any mystery whatsoever, which if accepted, might lead us to the conclusion that if there is no mystery about writing, neither can there be any mystery about the writer."
page
160
May 14, 2020
–
54.78%
"...to imagine a time in which all human behavior will be artificial, disregarding without further thought sincerity, spontaneity, simplicity, those most excellent and shining qualities of character which were so difficult to define and put into practice in times long since past when, although conscious of having invented falsehood, we still believed ourselves capable of living the truth."
page
172
May 14, 2020
–
54.78%
"Halfway through the afternoon, during a pause between coping with the problems of the siege and the trivialities of the novel...Raimundo Silva went out for a break. This was all he had in mind, to take a little stroll, amuse himself, mull over ideas. But on passing a florist’s shop he went in and bought a rose. White. And now he is returning home, a trifle embarrassed to be carrying a flower in his hand."
page
172
May 15, 2020
–
59.24%
"But he did not start searching, partly because he knew he had thrown out the lot, partly, because he feared, assuming that he found something, that he would have to make another decision, as it was quite possible that he might decide against it and end up playing this game of coming and going for lack of will power to refuse to succumb once and for all to the weakness he acknowledged in himself."
page
186
May 15, 2020
–
60.83%
"he shook his head vigorously, and just at that moment, divine providence, the switchboard signaled an incoming call, two signals that were almost simultaneous, the world went into its routine orbit, or so it would seem to anyone who does not know that Raimundo Silva is already carrying Maria Sara’s telephone number in his pocket, and this makes a vast difference to the universe."
page
191
May 15, 2020
–
65.61%
"What does she want from me. He spent the rest of the afternoon and the evening working out endless variations on this theme...from the general to the particular, from any request for information, which would be absurd in view of the circumstances, to the even greater absurdity of wishing her to declare her love for him, just like that, over the telephone, as if no longer able to resist such sweet temptation."
page
206
May 16, 2020
–
65.61%
"His irritation with himself at having allowed this mad thought to carry him to this hypothesis reached such an extreme that, in a fit of temper, he grabbed the white rose which was already withering in the vase and threw it into the rubbis-bin...I’m a fool, he said aloud, but he failed to explain whether this was because he had allowed his thoughts to run riot or because he had ill-treated an innocent flower..."
page
206
May 16, 2020
–
65.61%
"His irritation with himself at having allowed this mad thought to carry him to this hypothesis reached such an extreme that, in a fit of temper, he grabbed the white rose which was already withering in the vase and threw it into the rubbish-bin...I’m a fool, he said aloud, but he failed to explain whether this was because he had allowed his thoughts to run riot or because he had ill-treated an innocent flower..."
page
206
May 16, 2020
–
65.61%
"Meanwhile it should also be said that, already in bed at dead of night and unable to sleep, Raimundo Silva got up and went to the kitchen, pulled out the rubbish-bin from under the cooker and retrieved the defiled rose which he gently cleaned and rinsed under a trickle of water in order not to disturb the limp petals before putting it back in the vase, resting it’s drooping Corolla on a pile of books ..."
page
206
May 16, 2020
–
65.61%
"Meanwhile it should also be said that, already in bed at dead of night and unable to sleep, Raimundo Silva got up and went to the kitchen, pulled out the rubbish-bin from under the cooker and retrieved the defiled rose which he gently cleaned and rinsed under a trickle of water in order not to disturb the limp petals before putting it back in the vase, resting it’s drooping corolla on a pile of books ..."
page
206
May 16, 2020
–
67.52%
"now, Mr Proof-reader, you may speak, pay no attention to this wild outburst, it’s just that I’m brimming over with joy, Tell me, why do you like me, What can I say, I just like you, And aren’t you afraid that once you get to know me, you won’t like me any more, It sometimes happens, in fact, it happens quite a lot, So, So, nothing, it takes time to get to know each other, I like you, I believe you ..."
page
212
May 16, 2020
–
67.52%
"Can I confide that I love you, No, simply say that you are fond of me, I’ve already said so, Then keep the rest for the day you truly love me, should that day ever come, It will come, Let’s not bank on the future, better to wait and see what it has in store for us,"
page
212
May 17, 2020
–
69.11%
"Raimundo Silva switched on the table-lamp, the sudden light momentarily appeared to obliterate the roses, then they reappeared as if they had reconstituted themselves, but without any aura or mystery, contrary to what is commonly believed because of those famous words circulated by a botanist, A rose is a rose is a rose, whereas a poet would simply have said, A rose, before contemplating it in silence."
page
217
May 17, 2020
–
69.43%
"Raimundo Silva pounced on the telephone, in a moment of doubt he thought, And suppose it isn’t her, but it was her, the voice of Maria Sara telling him, You shouldn’t have done it, Why not he asked in dismay, Because from now on I shall be expecting roses every day"
page
218
May 18, 2020
–
78.03%
"He took her by the shoulders, the first time he had touched her in this way, she raised her head..and whispered, Say nothing..simply give me a kiss. He drew her gently towards him without their bodies touching, and slowly leaned forward until his lips touched hers, at first the merest touch, the most delicate contact, and then, after some hesitation, their mouths quickly opened, their sudden kiss total, intense, and"
page
245
May 19, 2020
–
72.29%
"After all, I’m not all that advanced in years, what does she think, and suddenly he realized that he sounded almost childish, yet forgivable since it is well known that men, all of them, are children at heart"
page
227
May 20, 2020
–
72.61%
"In fact, Maria Sara’s attitude might be attributed to her natural discretion, some people are quite incapable of forcing the doors of another’s privacy, yet on reflection, this cannot be said of Maria Sara who at all times, from the very beginning, took up the reins and the iniative without a moment’s hesitation."
page
228
May 20, 2020
–
73.25%
"frankly this much desired visit has got off to a bad start, these two who could be so intelligent and witty on the telephone, have said nothing to each other so far apart from, Hello, it is difficult to believe that after so many implicit promises, this game of roses, these courageous steps she has taken, who can tell whether she is disappointed at the manner in which she is being received."
page
230
May 20, 2020
–
73.25%
"Fortunately, in such difficult situations, the body is quick to understand that the brain is in no fit condition to give orders and acts of its own accord...this is how Raimundo Silva and Maria Sara found themselves in the study, she has not yet sat down, her hand in his, perhaps neither of them aware that they have been like this since she arrived, all they know is that they are holding hands"
page
230
May 20, 2020
–
74.84%
"he tries to analyze the vague impression that with her gesture Maria Sara has just taken material possession of something previously possessed in her mind, and suddenly he thinks that, however long he may live, he will never experience another moment such as this, no matter how often she might return to this apartment and this room, even if, an absurd idea, they were to spend the rest of their lives here."
page
235
May 20, 2020
–
75.48%
"Side by side, their elbows resting on the balcony, Maria Sara and Raimundo Silva watched in silence, conscious of each other’s presence, the arm of the one feeling the arm of the other, and, little by little, the warmth of their blood. The pounding of Raimundo Silva’s heartbeat echoed in his ears, that of Maria Sara threatened to sake her from head to foot. His arm drew closer, hers remained where it was, expectant"
page
237
May 20, 2020
–
75.8%
"he did not need to ask what it was that Maria Sara was looking for, now he could put his arm around her shoulders, as if unintentionally...allowing her to react, perhaps gently relax her body, perhaps, as one might say, curl up,letting her body curve ever so slightly to one side, her head a trifle bent, awaiting the next gesture. Or she might become tense...anxious that he should see that it was still too soon"
page
238
May 20, 2020
–
76.75%
"and the Preaching Heretics, once they saw the damage being done to their reputations by this new preacher who was attracting many converts, with arrogance and presumption so characteristic of this rabble, decided to engage in a mercurial debate with Anthony, relying on their specious fallacies to achieve a resounding victory.
So far no signs of the donkey, said Maria Sara."
page
241
So far no signs of the donkey, said Maria Sara."
May 21, 2020
–
76.75%
"...with all the loquaciousness of captions syllogism.
. . .
...as for the diabolical caprices of the will."
page
241
. . .
...as for the diabolical caprices of the will."
May 21, 2020
–
77.07%
"Now listen carefully, Maria Sara, you can already hear the sound of the donkey’s hooves."
page
242
May 21, 2020
–
78.03%
"He went to put the book on the table just as Maria Sara was getting to her feet, they stood facing each other, neither can escape nor wants to.
. . .
...simply give me a kiss.
. . .
...total, intense, and eager.
. . .
Maria Sara drew back, he tried to hold on to her, but she took her head, moved away, slipped quietly from his arms, I must go, she said, give me my coat, it’s in the study, and my bag, please."
page
245
. . .
...simply give me a kiss.
. . .
...total, intense, and eager.
. . .
Maria Sara drew back, he tried to hold on to her, but she took her head, moved away, slipped quietly from his arms, I must go, she said, give me my coat, it’s in the study, and my bag, please."
May 21, 2020
–
78.34%
"Raimundo Silva scarcely ate any dinner and stayed up late writing, when the time came to go to bed he realised he would be incapable of turning down the covers, of lying on those laundered sheets, of so much as disturbing the pillow on top of the bolster. He took two extra covers from the wardrobe and carried them into the sitting-room, improvised a bed on the narrow divan and settled down to sleep."
page
246
May 21, 2020
–
81.85%
"His secret objective...to go from here...to the Monte da Graça, as far as the king’s encampment, where he knows the crusaders have their separate tents, where he hopes, by some happy coincidence, to find the German’s concubine around some corner, she is called Ouroana and she is forever in his thoughts, although he has no illusions that he could ever win her favours, for a soldier without any rank..."
page
257
May 21, 2020
–
82.17%
"We know that Mogueime has no such thoughts...also much too complicated, so let us resign ourselves to not knowing what Mogueime really thinks, let us turn to the apparent clarity of actions, which are translated thoughts, although in the passage from the latter to the former, certain things are always lost or added, which means that, in the final analysis, we know as little about what we do as about what we think."
page
258
May 21, 2020
–
84.08%
"when for the first time they moaned with pleasure in each other’s arms...when all the floodgates opened over the earth and its waters, and then calm...two bodies drifting side by side holding hands, the one says, Oh, my love, the other, May this last forever, and suddenly they were both afraid of the words...spoken, and they embraced, the room was dark, Switch on the light, she said, I want to know if this is real."
page
264
May 21, 2020
–
84.39%
"Maria Sara spent the night at Raimundo Silva’s apartment. After having asked him to switch on the light and confirmed with all her senses that she really was there, naked and with this naked man beside her, looking at him and touching him, and offering herself freely to his eyes and hands, she said, between two kisses, I’m going to call my sister-in-law."
page
265
May 21, 2020
–
84.71%
"She was surprised he had not called her...and then she thought she had found an explanation, he did not know what to call her, yes, he would say Maria Sara, but the problem was not in the words, it was in the tone with which they were said, how to choose between the commanding tone of someone who believes himself already the proprietor of a body and the expression of loving tenderness that we would not describe as..."
page
266
May 22, 2020
–
85.67%
"Maria Sara laughed and said, I really do like you. And Raimundo Silva replied, I’m doing my utmost to make sure you go on liking me."
page
269
May 22, 2020
–
86.62%
"The memory of that splendid night distracts (RS), the surprise of awakening in the morning and seeing and feeling a naked body beside him, the ineffable pleasure of touching it, here, there, softly, as it were one great rose, saying to himself, Slowly, don’t awaken her...then those eager hands, that prolonged, insistent caress, until Maria Sara opens her eyes and smiles, when they say together, My love, and embraced."
page
272
May 22, 2020
–
93.95%
"However long our relationship may last, I want to live it honestly, I liked you for what you are, and I hope that what I am does not prevent you from liking me"
page
295
May 22, 2020
–
86.62%
"Meanwhile, the unwitting instrument of destiny, knight Heinrich debates in his intimate forum, whether he should take Ouroana with him to Mem Ramire’s quarters, or leave her behind in the royal encampment, under the care and vigilance of his trusted squire."
page
272
May 22, 2020
–
88.54%
"(RS) was actually speaking to the woman whom he had slept with the previous night, relishing the ineffable pleasure of using neutral words which they alone could translate into another language, that of emotion and capable of evoking other meanings, to utter the word book and hear the word kiss, to say yes and understand it to mean always, to hear good afternoon and sense the person is really saying, I love you."
page
278
May 23, 2020
–
89.49%
"he was incapable of hating a man who had never done him any harm, just because he coveted his woman."
page
281
May 23, 2020
–
91.08%
"Raimundo Silva consults his watch, if Maria Sara does not ring within the half hour, he will telephone her, How are you, my love, and she will reply, Alive, and he will say, It’s a miracle."
page
286
May 23, 2020
–
92.99%
"One day when they had finally spoken to each other and entered into other intimacies, Ouroana would ask Mogueime if he was responsible for the murder of those two lecherous soldiers, No, he replied, thinking to himself that he should have killed them in order to be more deserving of this woman’s love."
page
292
May 23, 2020
–
94.27%
"We seem to be at war, Of course we’re at war, it’s a war of siege, each of us besieges the other and is besieged in turn, we want to break down the other’s walls while defending our own, love means getting rid of all barriers, love is the end of all sieges."
page
296
May 23, 2020
–
99.36%
"As I see it, Ouroana will return to Galicia, and Mogueime will go with her, and before they leave they will find in Lisbon a dog that has survived in hiding and will accompany them on their journey
. . .
Maria Sara’s head is resting on Raimundo’s shoulder, with his left hand he strokes her hair and cheek. They did no fall asleep at once. Beneath the verandah roof a shadow sighed."
page
312
. . .
Maria Sara’s head is resting on Raimundo’s shoulder, with his left hand he strokes her hair and cheek. They did no fall asleep at once. Beneath the verandah roof a shadow sighed."
May 24, 2020
–
Finished Reading
November 12, 2020
– Shelved as:
novels-iii
( Edition)
November 12, 2020
– Shelved
( Edition)
Comments Showing 1-50 of 52 (52 new)
Thank you, Hazan. - )Good to hear from you. Good book.
Well, yes we need opposites too ;) Where is the review, Mark?
Thank you, Geo! - )Cute story. Fun to read.
Thank you, Ilse! - )The more I read him, the more I like him. Good stuff.
Thank you, Scott. - )Good to hear from you.
Thank you, Luffy. - )Good book. Fun to read.
Thank you, José. - )Good to hear from you. Good book.
Thank you, Luís. - )Good book.
MihaElla wrote: "Well, yes we need opposites too ;) Where is the review, Mark?"Yes, that’s what I meant to notice: the author’s broad range. Review is done. - )
Thank you, Xinyu! - )Nice to hear from you. Cool book.
Thank you, Mark! I see it's done now ;)Why do you think it's bizarre the historical fiction of the real siege? I found it quite very interesting...
PS: Pardon, but I don't think she is 40, I recall she is younger, maybe 36 years?! or 38... And he, is a bit more than 50, maybe 55, haha
And again, why do you say she is trying to seduce him?? I feel there is a vague discrimination hidden within...
Your welcome, Ella! - ))I think I meant bizarre in relationship to the love story. I thought the history lesson was quite interesting too.
Hahaha. I accept all your younger, a bit more adjustments.
Again? Seduce may be a poor word here. But it is one sided. She decides. She makes it happen. (no hiding)
Thank you, ✨Paula6070�! - )Good book.
Thank you, ~Poppy~! - )Good book.
Tank you, Caroline! - )A really fun book to read.
Thank you, Necmi. - )
Thank you, Bart. - )Good to hear from you. Good book.
Thank you, Petra-X! - )Nice to hear from you.
I like his change of 'yes' to 'no'. Significant as a butterfly effect or irrelevant as everything we do. The first Saramago's book I read some 20 years ago.
Thank you, Alma! - )Cool book.
Thank you, BAM! - )I really liked this one.
Thank you, Vladimir. - )I admit it was the romance in this one that made it my favorite.
Thank you, Luís. - )I liked this one a lot.
Thank you, Mischenko! - )
Thank you, Perla! - )
Thank you, Isabel! - )
Thank you, Francesc. - )
Thank you, LaGaryce! - )Cute love story.
Thank you, Piyangie! - )It was a cool book.
Thank you, Isabel! - )Good book.
Thank you, J. Sebastian. - )This was one of my favorite Saramagos. I like that he uses grown up men in his love stories.
Thank you, Jon. - )I got turned on to Saramago a couple of years ago. He reminds me a bit of Billie Faulkner.
Thank you, Gary. - )I like Saramago. He connects me to the 21st century. (Prior to discovering him the most modern novels on my self were Solzhenitsyn’s.)
Thank you, Elizabeth! - )It seems to be a reoccurring scenario with Saramago: mature, older men hooking up with sexy younger women. Cool!
Thank you, Dobrinka! - )Nice to hear from you. Good book. Fun read.
Thank you, Luís. - )Good book. I like Saramago.
Thank you, Celeste! - )Nice to hear from you. I like Saramago. I like his middle-age bachelors heroes suddenly discovering girlfriends!
Thank you, Montzalee! - )Cool book. I like the way Saramago does romance.
Thank you, Fariha! - )Good book. Fun read. Romantic.
Thank you, SONJA ❤️! - )I like Saramago. Fun to read.
Thank you, Vishaini! - )Very nice to meet you.
Thank you, Nick. - )Nice to meet you. It seems from looking over this thread I had a pretty good time! I like Saramago.
Thank you, Emre. - )Good to hear from you.
Thank you, Lena! - )Nice to hear from you.
Thank you, India M! - )Nice to hear from you.
Thank you, Paula! - )Nice to hear from you.
Thank you, Heider. - )Good to hear from you.
Thank you, Stefania! - )Nice to hear from you.
Thank you, JD. - )Good to hear from you. I really like Saramago.
Quite the opposite of Blindness.