Login or Sign Up
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Only members can see photos
Only members can see names and photos
Jose Saramago
Beginning to feel like I must have a peculiar taste in books and music, as not had any responses to any of my postings on here so far...

Hope to get more on this one though, as I just discovered the Portuguese Nobel laureate Jose Saramago, reading his book "The Double", which is excellent. You've got to have a fair concentration span to be able to take the long paragraphs (often a page or two in length), but this particular book is so well crafted and engaging, it's worth the effort.

"The Double" is about a 38 year-old man who discovers there is someone living in his city who looks exactly like him. This leads him on a search and brings all sorts of consequences, each of which is philosophised on by Saramago, though not at length, nor to get in the way of the story. Takes a bit of getting into perhaps because of the aforementioned long paragraphs, but you soon get hooked, and the language is often brilliant and citable.

Has anyone read anything else by Saramago? Sadly I can't read Portuguese, so I'm having to get translations, but can anyone recommend any others of his books as worth a look?
The text you are quoting:
Beginning to feel like I must have a peculiar taste in books and music, as not had any responses to any of my postings on here so far...

Hope to get more on this one though, as I just discovered the Portuguese Nobel laureate Jose Saramago, reading his book "The Double", which is excellent. You've got to have a fair concentration span to be able to take the long paragraphs (often a page or two in length), but this particular book is so well crafted and engaging, it's worth the effort.

"The Double" is about a 38 year-old man who discovers there is someone living in his city who looks exactly like him. This leads him on a search and brings all sorts of consequences, each of which is philosophised on by Saramago, though not at length, nor to get in the way of the story. Takes a bit of getting into perhaps because of the aforementioned long paragraphs, but you soon get hooked, and the language is often brilliant and citable.

Has anyone read anything else by Saramago? Sadly I can't read Portuguese, so I'm having to get translations, but can anyone recommend any others of his books as worth a look?
elvisApr 29, 2006 @ 15:34
Your Reply:
Reply  Reply With Quote  Thank Poster
! Report to Admin
 
4 Replies | 982 Views      |  Send to friend
 
Only members can see photos
Only members can see names and photos
Re: Jose Saramago
Post 1
It's a novel about the sudden onset of a disease that causes blindness and goes on to describe the social and moral consequences of such a handicap. It won the Nobel prize for literature and although it was well written, it was really bleak.
The text you are quoting:
It's a novel about the sudden onset of a disease that causes blindness and goes on to describe the social and moral consequences of such a handicap. It won the Nobel prize for literature and although it was well written, it was really bleak.
Riley, Apr 30, 2006 @ 15:42
Your Reply:
Reply  Reply With Quote  Thank Poster
! Report to Admin
Only members can see photos
Only members can see names and photos
Re: Jose Saramago
Post 2
I also read blindness and agree with Riley's description of it -- bleak but very well-written. It's not a "beach read" but don't miss it as it does provoke a lot of deep thinking about morals, the state of society, etc.
The text you are quoting:
I also read blindness and agree with Riley's description of it -- bleak but very well-written. It's not a "beach read" but don't miss it as it does provoke a lot of deep thinking about morals, the state of society, etc.
tiffany, May 1, 2006 @ 16:28
Your Reply:
Reply  Reply With Quote  Thank Poster
! Report to Admin
Only members can see photos
Only members can see names and photos
Re: Jose Saramago
Post 3
This is such a great forum for discovering books that I would never hear about otherwise. Thanks for bringing this author up and suggesting a couple of his works.

Will see if Off the Shelf has any in stock.

It's always nice to read bleak in sunshine. Sometimes, when the book matches the weather it's a little too much.
The text you are quoting:
This is such a great forum for discovering books that I would never hear about otherwise. Thanks for bringing this author up and suggesting a couple of his works.

Will see if Off the Shelf has any in stock.

It's always nice to read bleak in sunshine. Sometimes, when the book matches the weather it's a little too much.
misskate, May 4, 2006 @ 14:47
Your Reply:
Reply  Reply With Quote  Thank Poster
! Report to Admin
4 Replies | 982 Views      |  Send to friend
 
 
 
Feedback Form