The History of the Siege of Lisbon

José Saramago, Giovanni Pontiero

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Portuguese

Harvill
01 August 2002

Fiction & Literature; Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)

A proofreader tinkering with a historical text opens up a world of ambiguity and invention

What happens when the facts of history are replaced by the mysteries of love?

When Raimundo Silva, a lowly proofreader for a Lisbon publishing house, inserts a negative into a sentence of a historical text, he alters the whole course of the 1147 Siege of Lisbon. Fearing censure he is met instead with admiration- Dr Maria Sara, his voluptuous new editor, encourages him to pen his own alternative history. As his retelling draws on all his imaginative powers, Silva finds - to his nervous delight - that if the facts of the past can be rewritten as a romance then so can the details of his own dusty bachelor present.

By: José Saramago
Translated by: Giovanni Pontiero
Imprint: Harvill
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: New edition
Dimensions: Height: 197mm, Width: 130mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 227g
ISBN: 9781860467226
ISBN 10: 1860467229
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 01 August 2002
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Reviews for The History of the Siege of Lisbon

Raimundo Siva is a freelance proof-reader for a Lisbon publishing house, who takes it upon himself to insert a negative into the sentence of a history book. Operating on two levels - one in 12th-century Portugal, the other in the 20th century - this extraordinary novel brilliantly mingles past events with a contemporary story of romance, fantasy and historical debate, moving freely between the tenses and continually challenging and teasing the reader. Highly acclaimed in Portugal, Saramago's work now has many international followers, and this edition is an admirable translation. Stimulating stuff! (Kirkus UK)