"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Even without the "Once upon a time," it's clear from the opening sentence of José Saramago's mischievous and wise The Tale of the Unknown Island that we have entered a somewhat fractured fairy tale. Of course, it could be argued that all of his works are, in some form or another, fairy tales, from the whimsical, revisionist History of the Siege of Lisbon to the darker dystopia of Blindness. Originally published as a short story in Portugal, Unknown Island contains all of the elements Saramago is famous for--dry wit, a seemingly simple plot that works on many levels, and an idiosyncratic use of punctuation, among other things. It begins as a satire concerned with the absurdity of bureaucracy as supplicants arrive at the king's door for petitions while the king himself waits by the door for favors:
Since the king spent all his time sitting at the door for favors (favors being offered to the king, you understand), whenever he heard someone knocking at the door for petitions, he would pretend not to hear, and only when the continuous pounding of the bronze doorknocker became not just deafening, but positively scandalous, disturbing the peace of the neighborhood (people would start muttering, What kind of king is he if he won't even answer the door), only then would he order the first secretary to go and find out what the supplicant wanted, since there seemed no way of silencing him.On this particular occasion, the man at the door asks for a boat so that he can search for an unknown island. When the king assures him that all the islands have already been discovered, he refuses to believe it, explaining that one must exist "simply because there can't possibly not be an unknown island." A palace cleaning woman overhears the conversation, and when the king finally grants his supplicant a boat, she leaves the royal residence via the door of decisions and follows the would-be explorer. Saramago then moves from satire to allegory as his two dreamers prepare for their voyage of discovery--and nearly miss the forest for the trees. The Tale of the Unknown Island packs more charm and meaning into 50 tiny pages than most novels accomplish at five times the length. Readers already familiar with the Nobel Prize-winning Saramago will find everything they love about his longer works economically sized; for those who have not yet experienced the pleasures of his remarkable imagination, Unknown Island provides a charming introduction. --Alix Wilber
JOSÉ SARAMAGO (1922–2010) was the author of many novels, among them Blindness, All the Names, Baltasar and Blimunda, and The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis. In 1998 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Book Description Condition: New. Peter Sis (illustrator). Book is in NEW condition. Seller Inventory # 0156013037-2-1
Book Description brossura. Condition: nuovo. Peter Sis (illustrator). Brand New. Illustrations by Peter Sis, Ill. bn: 10, Ill. colori: --, Peso: 80 gr. Seller Inventory # 2747-AA28
Book Description Condition: New. Peter Sis (illustrator). New! This book is in the same immaculate condition as when it was published. Seller Inventory # 353-0156013037-new
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Peter Sis (illustrator). New. Fast Shipping and good customer service. Seller Inventory # Holz_New_0156013037
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. Peter Sis (illustrator). reprint edition. 51 pages. 6.50x4.25x0.25 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __0156013037
Book Description Condition: new. Peter Sis (illustrator). First. Book is in NEW condition. Satisfaction Guaranteed! Fast Customer Service!!. Seller Inventory # PSN0156013037
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. Peter Sis (illustrator). reprint edition. 51 pages. 6.50x4.25x0.25 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # 0156013037
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Peter Sis (illustrator). New. Seller Inventory # Wizard0156013037
Book Description Condition: New. Peter Sis (illustrator). New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title! 0.17. Seller Inventory # Q-0156013037