From Publishers Weekly

In 1979, 19 won Nobel Prize literature, Portuguese novelist Saramago (Blindness) journeyed homeland, hoping “to write book Portugal capable offering fresh looking, feeling” at country’s history culture. personal quest comes monumental work, literary hybrid intermingles intimate portrait nation aspects novel, travel log guide book. Fm outset, deep sense Portuguese European history pervades Saramago’s descriptions, wh evince longing past fragments lie ey crevice, niche portico. example, seeing “traces ancient anti-Spanish rancor form obscene graffiti scored gd 15th-century stone” Miranda Douro, recalls 17th-century siege tt tk town. Lr trip, standing ruins church, muses, “The day (more…)

Tags: crevice, Culture, deep sense, History, intimate portrait, Journey, monumental work, nobel prize for literature, Paperback, personal quest, Portugal, Portugal's, portuguese novelist, publishers weekly, Pursuit, rancor, travel log