It was first published in 2008 with an english translation in 2010. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the elephant s journey. Out of this material, jose saramago has spun a novel already heralded as a triumph of language, imagination, and humor. Now comes the report that the translated version is slated for fall 2010. A viagem do elefante is a novel by nobel prizewinning author jose saramago. When he died last month, the man who wrote those words in the elephant s journey, jose saramago, was an old man, 87 years old. Solomon and his indian mahout, subhro, travel from lisbon to. The elephants journey jose saramago translated from the portuguese by margaret jull costa boston. On jose saramagos the elephants journey a slightly different version of this piece appeared last weekend in the national.
The author says about the inspiration for the story in the end, which is surprising. Saramagos latest novel is an enchanting mix of fact an indian elephant really did make this journey in 1551, fable and fantasy. So when the elephant s journey found print this year, i dropped what i was doing it and made my order. The portuguese nobel prize winners delightful posthumous novel. Portugals beloved nobel literature laureate jose saramago announced the completion of his latest work the elephants journey, based on the reallife epic journey of an indian elephant named solomon who travelled from lisbon to vienna in the 16th century last year. Filled with charm and whimsy, it reads like an adult fairy tale.
The book of disquiet by fernando pessoa blindness by jose saramago os. After reading saramagos book, blindness, it was made into a movie miracle of miracles i resolved to try this portuguese writer on again at the first opportunity. It would be hard to more highly recommend a novel to be downed in a single draftsimply, this books flows. From this, jose saramago has crafted a delightful short novel. The elephant s journey from lisbon to vienna was witnessed and remarked upon by scholars, historians, and ordinary people. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The elephants journey is a book of wonder, not only in local astonishment at glimpsing an alien behemoth who consumes 150 kilograms of forage a day. A delightful, witty tale of friendship and adventure from prizewinning novelist jose saramago in 1551, king joao. You cringed because, although you actually read the book, you. So when the elephants journey found print this year, i dropped what i was doing it and made my order. It is said, once tolstoy had said it first, that all happy families are alike, and there is really little more to say about them.
Filled with wonderful landscapes and local colour, peppered with witty reflection on human failings and achievements, it is. The elephants journey is a delightful, witty tale of friendship and adventure. Id intended to read seeing, which may have been a sequel, but never got to it. Your worst academic embarrassment in high school may have started with an english teacher demanding that you share your insight into moby dick by telling the class what the great white whale stood for. If shakespeare hadnt already used the title, this novel could well have been subtitled. It takes a few pages to get used to no capitalization and no punctuation. Solomon and his keeper, subhro, have been living a dismal existence forgotten in a corner of the palace grounds. The elephants journey, saramago s slender new novel, first published in the original portugese in 2008, is a road. Ursula k le guin acclaims the wise comedy of jose saramago, who died this month. Saramago the elephants journey the place of longing. After reading saramago s book, blindness, it was made into a movie miracle of miracles i resolved to try this portuguese writer on again at the first opportunity.
I dont know what the original portuguese version is like but the english version occasionally had me pausing to savour the lovely writing. A must read for animal fans, humor lovers and tragedy lovers. His most optimistic, playful, humorous and magical book, a grace note written near the end of his. The elephant s journey from lisbon to vienna was witnessed and remarked on by ordinary people as well as by scholars and historians. Theres no sex, not much violence, no godawful narrative arc, and the insights arrive as gently as a skiff pulling up to a riverbank. In jose saramagos final novel, an elephant and its mahout cross the alps. A viagem do elefante the elephants journey saramagos penultimate novel is not one of his best. Filled with wonderful landscapes and local colour, peppered with witty reflection on human failings and achievements, it is, in the end, about the journey of life itself.
It would seem that the same is true of happy elephants. The elephant solomon renamed suleiman by the archduke has to travel on foot from lisbon to valladolid and then on to vienna, accompanied by his mahout and a. The elephants journey by jose saramago penguin books australia. Nobel prizewinner saramago always has something new up his sleeve. The elephants journey from lisbon to vienna was witnessed and remarked on by ordinary people as well as by scholars and historians. The portuguese nobel laureate was supposed to have died from organ failure 18 months earlier, and this book is dedicated to his wife.
The elephants journey by jose saramago reading guidebook. He won the nobel prize in literature in 1998, having peaked as a writer later in life. The elephant s journey ebook written by jose saramago. Translated from the portuguese by margaret jull costa. The elephants journey 9780547574110 by saramago, jose and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. The elephants journey from lisbon to vienna was witnessed and remarked upon by scholars, historians, and ordinary people. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the elephants journey.
1598 1572 1150 77 1620 1559 1520 1088 663 1419 1201 37 1503 1363 1444 222 1478 1515 1043 627 346 1194 546 645 376 355 1398 624 510 1241 1179 80 1284 159 775 248 75 831