Journey to Portugal: In Pursuit of Portugal's History and Culture [Paperback]

Jose Saramago (Author), Amanda Hopkinson (Translator), Nick Caistor (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 6, 2002

When José Saramago decided to write a book about Portugal, his only desire was that it be unlike all other books on the subject, and in this he has certainly succeeded. Recording the events and observations of a journey across the length and breadth of the country he loves dearly, Saramago brings Portugal to life as only a writer of his brilliance can. Forfeiting the usual sources such as tourist guides and road maps, he scours the country with the eyes and ears of an observer fascinated by the ancient myths and history of his people. Whether it be an inaccessible medieval fortress set on a cliff, a wayside chapel thick with cobwebs, or a grand mansion in the city, the extraordinary places of this land come alive.
Always meticulously attentive to those elements of ancient Portugal that persist today, he examines the country in its current period of rapid transition and growth. Journey to Portugal is an ode to a country and its rich traditions.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 1979, 19 years before he won the Nobel Prize for literature, Portuguese novelist Saramago (Blindness) journeyed across his homeland, hoping "to write a book on Portugal that [would be] capable of offering a fresh way of looking, a new way of feeling" about the country's history and culture. Out of that personal quest comes this monumental work, a literary hybrid that intermingles an intimate portrait of a nation with aspects of a novel, travel log and guide book. From the outset, a deep sense of Portuguese and European history pervades Saramago's descriptions, which evince a longing for the past whose fragments lie in every crevice, niche and portico. For example, upon seeing "traces of ancient anti-Spanish rancor in the form of obscene graffiti scored into good 15th-century stone" in Miranda do Douro, he recalls a 17th-century siege that took place in the small town. Later on in his trip, standing in the ruins of a church, he muses, "[T]he day before yesterday the Romans were here; yesterday it was the turn of the monks of Sao Cucufate; today it's the traveler." Saramago's absolute attachment to his homeland filters through every paragraph, impelling him to create a new vision of the country: a vision that aims to meld Portugal's past to its present and future. The reader may find the author's use of the third person when speaking of himself rather tedious, and some drawn-out sections waffle in personal, almost mystical, reflections. But it is difficult to resist being enchanted by the witty, at times sarcastic reveries of a man in search of his land, its history and himself. 6 maps, b&w photos. (Mar.)Forecast: Saramago's name will attract some readers to a book that, without it, will appeal to only a limited niche market.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

For many Americans, Portugal is a distant relative of Spain, a country whose glory has vanished since the days of Henry the Navigator and his discoveries in the New World. Saramago, winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize for Literature, writes to dispel this notion. The author originally wrote this book to show his compatriots his deep love for the history, traditions, and countryside of his native land, and his passion for his subject shines through on every page. The many black-and-white photographs will familiarize the reader with some of the more obscure locations discussed here. Unfortunately, Saramago's use of the third-person narrative throughout the text gives it a stilted, artificial tone that distracts from the information presented. Further, Saramago is so deeply involved in his topic that he can be obscure to readers unfamiliar with the details of Portuguese history and culture. Some notes are available, and the maps and index are excellent. Recommended for larger travel collections where introductory travel guides to Portugal are already available.
-DOlga B. Wise Compaq Computer Corp. Austin, TX
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books (March 6, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0156007134
• ISBN-13: 978-0156007139
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #516,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #56 in Books > Travel > Europe > Portugal

More About the Author

JOSE SARAMAGO is one of the most acclaimed writers in the world today. He is the author of numerous novels, including All the Names, Blindness, and The Cave. In 1998 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rewarding for a patient reader, May 16, 2001

By 

"krabga" (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Journey to Portugal: In Pursuit of Portugal's History and Culture (Hardcover)

A meditation on the subtle mysteries of a rugged landscape occupied for thousands of years. A subjective and cerebral travelogue to be taken in and digested slowly. The traveller visits the tiniest villages and melencholy ruins; discribing encounters with the inhabitants and recording his moods and dreams. A treat!

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Delightful on one level, disappointing on another..., May 10, 2002

By 

Martha G (CT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Journey to Portugal: In Pursuit of Portugal's History and Culture (Hardcover)

I traveled much of Saramago's route over twenty years after he did. I am reading this book six years after my journey. I am delighted with his observations, and amazed at little some things changed in the years between our two journeys--there is timelessness about some of these places. It is, however, difficult reading. His habit of referring to himself as "the traveller" in nearly every other sentence really interrupts the flow and I can not read more than a chapter or two at a time without becoming so annoyed that I set it aside, only to go back to it the next evening. I'm now about three quarters of the way through it and will definitely finish it. Mechanically, it is much more difficult reading than his novels; intellectually, it is much less challenging.

I don't think I would be reading this book if I had not traveled in Portugal, but I wish I had had it with me when I did make that journey. It gives an insight to the people, places, and history that I, as a non-Portuguese speaking foreigner, did not get during my own travels. It is certainly bringing that trip back to me and I'm enjoying his view of the places I went and am regretting missing the places I didn't have time to see. If I am able to make another journey in Portugal, this book will go with me.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The translation misses, September 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Journey to Portugal: In Pursuit of Portugal's History and Culture (Paperback)

I am sure Saramago's tales are more lively than they come across in this book. Although I'm certain it was translated with care, the third-person narrative doesn't quite do it in English. I wish I had bought the Portuguese book and worked my way through, it is surely more lyrical and less clunky than this version.