Saturday’s Book: “The Elephant’s Journey” by Jose Saramago

I was a bit hesitant to start reading this. Despite enjoying the previous book I read by this author (“The Cave”) it was slow reading and Saramago’s senctences can run to half a page. I wasn’t sure I was in the mood for that at the moment. But my husband said this one was different and he was right!

It’s written as if a storyteller is telling it. You can just imagine the author sitting by a campfire, the younger set at his feet and the older ones in the outer circle. He always relates to the listener’s (reader’s) point of view with digressions that sound like answers to questions. Its as if he wants to put any troubling thoughts you may have related to the story at rest. Its a tale (based on a true story) officially about an elephant’s journey from Portugal to Vienna. But there is so much more to it! Really interesting and at times laugh-out-loud funny! Saramago’s trademark long sentences are there but it isn’t slow reading at all. It is also a small book to begin with.

Look for it! I’m at the part when the elephants will soon cross the Alps. Curious…

3 thoughts on “Saturday’s Book: “The Elephant’s Journey” by Jose Saramago”

  1. Hi Naomi!

    I wne to the bookstore here, which has a lot of books, but unfortunately it didn’t have that Saramago one : ( I will check in other ones here and then in Switzerland.

    Thanks again for the recommendation!

    Hugs,
    Vicky

  2. Vicky!
    That’s what’s nice about libraries, you can find all kinds of gems there that bookstores may deem not worth their while to carry.
    In any case, one never knows where one may get a hold of a book!
    Naomi

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *