***UPDTAED 2013 August, 28th *** Translated from Catalan to English:When a book makes you think.Disguised as an endearing story, sweet and juicy as a ripe summer peach, “Sostiene Pereira" is a novel that will remain in your thoughts for some time after you've turned the last page.Pereira is an unusual hero: an overweight man of advanced age, a lonely widower whose dreams he never reveals, a man who talks to the portrait of his deceased wife. Pereira works as head of the Cultural Section in the local newspaper Lisboa at the period of increasing oppression of the Salazar regime in the Portugal of the late 30s, and despite the obvious internal repression in fascist Europe, he is not interested in politics.Pereira is naïve, or maybe he wants to be. He doesn’t want to know what the real situation in Lisbon is like, he devotes his own life to literature and he feels contented eating his omelettes aux fines herbs in the bar below the editorial where he works. His life is uncomplicated and easy going.But his peace of mind starts to change when he meets Mario Rossi and his girlfriend Marta, a young couple who start talking about terms like justice or revolution. Pereira finds himself unwittingly or willingly involved with the young couple and starts helping them, triggering a series of symbolic events which make him rethink his entire existence and put his sense of justice to the limit.Tabbuchi masters the language in order to evoke the atmosphere of Lisbon in the 30s, he writes in a beautiful and simple prose, making it impossible to stop reading once you’ve started.Despite it being a short novel, the story evolves at a pace that allows you to enjoy the smallest of details: a swim in the open ocean during a scorching day in August, a disturbing encounter on a train, chats about health and literature with a surprisingly open-minded Psychologist, evoking memories of the sanatorium in “The Magic Mountain" by Thomas Mann…This novel is about life, death, and what we do during the time we have been granted.And the lesson: it is never too late to open your eyes and be courageous and start acting to actually change things.Exciting and melancholic.It’s a book like this one which makes of literature a life changing experience.-----------------------------------------------------------------------Quan un llibre et fa pensar.Disfressada d'història entranyable, dolça i sucosa com un préssec a ple estiu, "Sostiene Pereira" és una novel·la que t'acompanyarà durant uns quants dies un cop hagis girat l'última pàgina.En Pereira és un heroi insòlit: un senyor d'avançada edat, amb sobrepès, un vidu solitari que té somnis que mai explica i que parla amb el retrat de la seva esposa, que treballa com a cap de la secció cultural del Lisboa, durant l'època de creixent opressió del règim de Salazar a la Portugal de finals dels anys 30, i tot i l'obvietat de la repressió interna i de l'Europa feixista, en Pereira no està interessat en política.En Pereira és innocent, o vol ser-ho. No vol saber quina és la situació real a Lisboa, la seva vida és la literatura i les seves truites a les fines herbes del bar de sota la redacció.Tanmateix, la seva perspectiva comença a canviar quan coneix en Mario Rossi i la seva nòvia Marta, els quals comencen a parlar de termes com justícia i revolució. En Pereira es troba ajudant la parella sense voler-ho, o volent-ho, i una sèrie de fets simbòlics fan que es replantegi tota la seva existència i que s'impliqui fins a límits insospitats.El llenguatge que utilitza Tabbuchi és ideal per evocar l'atmosfera de la Lisboa dels anys 30, escrit amb una prosa preciosa i senzilla, fa que sigui impossible deixar-lo un cop l'has començat. Tot i ser una novel·la curta, la història evoluciona a un ritme que et permet assaborir els petits detalls, un bany a mar obert durant un dia calorós d'Agost, un encontre inquietant en un tren, converses sobre la salut i la literatura amb un psicòleg de mentalitat sorprenentment oberta, evocant certs records del sanatori de la "Muntanya Màgica" de Thomas Mann. La vida, la mort, i què fem durant el temps que ens ha estat concedit.I la lliçó: mai és tard per obrir els ulls i per ser valent i actuar.Emocionant i melancòlica.Això és literatura, així dóna gust llegir.
http://msarki.tumblr.com/post/8015637...My adventure in reading this novel Pereira Declares can be summed up by the word enjoyable. Antonio Tabucchi clearly bought me out completely. I loved every word of this translation. Though I am not, for the most part, political, I do empathize with the trying times of Portugal during this period in our world history, though I do not have a personal frame of reference for my understanding. I do hate all oppression and suppression, and believe I would fight to the death of me to protect my own independence and delusions of freedom I think I possess.Having completed the reading now of a total of four novels written by Antonio Tabucchi I have discovered an interest in visiting Portugal, especially the city of Lisbon. Whether or not that happens for me depends certainly on my age and how long I have left to live on and in relatively good health. But I do have to say that the waters, the architecture, and cafes of this beautiful country beckon me. I am not, in particular, a cafe person, but when a place-setting exists, one that I might actually enjoy, I feel somewhat romantically drawn to it. Of course, my feelings can be swiftly rebutted or contained generally as soon as a loud and awful herd of humanity enters the picture. If I am not exactly a hater in the extreme sense then I am quite close to being one. But staying holed up in my apartment is not conducive to my living a good and complete life. Then again, Tabucchi's favorite writer Fernando Pessoa promoted his personal idea for always remaining inside the mind and to do one's traveling only within the realm of imagination. I do both and cannot really say which one works best for me. I suppose there is good and bad in everything. It is unfortunate that I am mostly disappointed in anything I have had hyped to me or been overly excited about. But to be honest it is I who is the one who hypes most persistently. It is a way to make a dull life more interesting. There is little reality to really get worked up over unless you are a person such as Pereira who just loves his cheese and herb omelette and his fresh-squeezed lemonade containing vast amounts of sugar. Tonight my wife and I will be dining at one of Louisville's best little restaurants called The Mayan Cafe. The owner/chef simply prepares the very best sauces that seem to explode on the tongue and these sauces give so much pleasure at times the experience feels unlawful. And his desserts are such fabulous and sinful creations that they are without a doubt worth breaking every dietary restriction previously and voluntarily adhered to. I find it quite daunting to pin down exactly what made this novel so much fun for me to read. It was perhaps in the relaxed tone of the narrator Pereira and his ridiculous attempts, made half-heartedly and without conviction, in hopes of acquiring a more healthy lifestyle by losing a few pounds. The way he contributed financially, and almost without question, to the two young people caught up in politics Pereira himself had no interest in. It was also his gestures, quite sweet and innocent, as he employed and paid from his own pocket wages to the young journalist, receiving almost nothing in return that he could use worth publishing in his culture page. And in these feeble efforts Pereira's true character was revealed to me as it somehow projected his rock-solid conviction for doing the right thing, no matter what. The last few pages of the book move forward in almost blinding speed as the plot quickly thickens and rises to a boil that cannot keep itself from cascading over. A book so well worth my time to read, and with momentous flavors I still am savoring.
What do You think about Sostiene Pereira (1999)?
I am 46 years old. Happily married for 17 years. I and my beautiful wife have been blessed with a daughter who is now 16 years old. Three years ago, I bought 501 Must Read Books and thought of reading the books included in it. My brother came across 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die and suggested that we read all those books as well. I agreed. In the course of my research about one of the books we read, I came across Goodreads. Then in it, I saw The Filipino Group. I felt happy that Filipinos have a group there and so I joined even if I noticed that most of the members were in their teens or 20's. Last year, I was even one of the organizers of the first meet-up. It was a success and so that first was followed by a second and a third. The number of attendees are growing and all of us are becoming friends with each other.In all the meet-ups, I was the oldest at 46. Next to me is a guy at his early 30's and all the rest are, as I said, in their teens or in their 20's. What do I get from them? Why do I facilitate the meet-ups? Why do I stay late at night during those days? Sure some of the girls are good-looking but they are almost the same age as my daughter or could have been my daughter's elder sisters. Neither I am pedophile nor gay. I do not fancy boys (although there are good-looking ones in our group too).I think this was the reason why I was able to relate to the character of Dr. Pereira in Antonio Tabucchi's Pereira Declares. A writer, in his 60's, a widow and childless. Not exactly the same as my condition, right? But he takes fancy on a younger man Monteiro Rossi, who dabbles in singing and writing but happened to be a communist in Salazarist Lisbon. Tabucchi did not divulge the reason for Pereira's fascination of the younger man (and to a lesser extent, of his girlfriend Martha too). Probably, he wants to give Rossi a break by allowing him to write for his newspaper. Probably, he sees his younger self in Rossi. Probably, he misses his younger years and he feels good talking or being with somebody younger than himself. Or probably, his life is so boring that he just wants to have somebody to talk to or to break his everyday routine.Tabucchi did a remarkable development of Pereira's character in this book. He expertly chronicles Pereira's ascent to consciousness and his reluctant awakening gives the novel its delightful, heroic power. From a boring life, the entry of Rossi in his life turns his world exciting and more meaningful if not upside down.It could be the books. It could be my Goodreads friends. It could be both. But definitely, my life is more exciting and more meaningful now compared to the time before I bought 501 Must Read Books. If not upside down.
—K.D. Absolutely
An interesting little book; nicely written and constructed. Intellectually precisely, with sharp plotting and characterization. There is little emotional depth to it, however - though perhaps that is typical of our Age.One point worthy of note - the discusison in the book about the congress of souls (that make up a man) and the overriding Ego(s) that emerge to rule over them, is clearly derived from Fernando Pessoa -- his heteronyms and his semi-fictional orthonym, etc. - whose Italian translator (as others have noted) Tabucchi is.
—AC
Ad Tabucchis memoriam.Queste entrate da classicista sono quasi rivoltanti..oh mio Dio..Il fatto che io abbia letto Sostiene Pereira proprio in questo periodo non ha nulla di possibilmente casuale o misterioso, il motivo è talmente scontato che non ha senso sprecarci parole sopra.Quando ho saputo che è morto Tabucchi mi è dispiaciuto, e soprattutto mi sentivo in colpa perché io neanche un mese prima avevo letto il suo saggino, La gastrite di Platone, e me ne ero lamentata senza riserve. A vederlo da un'ottica panoramica non era una cosa tanto carina. E allora ho pensato di provare l'opera per cui è più conosciuto: la testimonianza di Pereira. Lasciamo perdere il fatto che io sono sempre stata convinta che Pereira fosse una femmina, e mi figuravo anche la possibile testimonianza di una donna che combatte contro la sottintesa dittatura portoghese: una donna vigorosa, determinata, decisa, ..e invece il Pereira di Tabucchi è parecchio diverso: un grassone borghese, mite, attempato e cardopiatico. Non esattamente lo stereotipo dell'eroe, e non è neanche un paladino della giustizia fuori dalle righe. Lui la giustizia la evita, si ripara dietro allo scudo del direttore della rubrica culturale del Lisboa, giornale con cui collabora, a lui la politica non interessa, non vuole avere grane. Passa le sue giornate alla scrivania del suo ufficio, al bar con omelettes alle erbe aromatiche e limonate in cui lo zucchero è la metà del bicchiere, a casa a parlare con il ritratto della moglie defunta o tradurre racconti francesi dell'Ottocento, e probabilmente farà pure qualcos'altro, ma non siamo tenuti a saperlo, come non siamo tenuti a conoscere i suoi sogni, i suoi pensieri, all'infuori di quelli sulla reincarnazione della carne - spera tanto che sia solo una credenza - e quelli inerenti alla vicenda. Per quanto la sua vita non sia altro che un riaprire le memorie, preferisce non parlarne con noi. Però questa è una denuncia alla dittatura portoghese ed è anche uno sprazzo della vita di Pereira. Le due cose dovranno pur far comunella in qualche modo.Dante l'avrebbe condannato all'Antinferno insieme a tutti gli altri ignavi come lui, ma Tabucchi interviene prima e salva la faccia al suo personaggio, perché diamine, sarebbe un bel problema se dovesse finire così.Il risveglio del cittadino dormiente lascia un sorriso sulle labbra dopo la lettura , anche se porca miseria, questo libro ci mette quasi due terzi della sua durata a decollare e poi dgksjgnkfh tutto avviene ad una certa velocità (l'atterraggio non è compreso nel pacchetto).Pereira sostiene davanti al tribunale della letteratura, della giustizia, dell'etica morale e davanti allo stesso autore i suoi grandi errori e dimostra il riscatto da se stesso. La sua testimonianza è sostenuta anche davanti a me, che fortunatamente alla fine ho saputo apprezzarla. Non la considero la lettura più bella della mia carriera, non la considero una lettura propriamente emozionante, da cui ne esco con un nuovo io egemone, ma alla fine un po' mi ha fatto piacere leggere questo Tabucchi, ne sono uscita, appunto, con un lieve sorriso sulle labbra.Un buon avviso a tutti i futuri ignavi dell'Inferno dantesco, la blacklist più temuta in tutto il mondo. "Ma anche se pensò così non si sentì rassicurato, sentì invece una grande nostalgia, di cosa non saprebbe dirlo, ma era una grande nostalgia di una vita passata e di una vita futura, sostiene Pereira". nostalgia[no-stal-gì-a]nome femminile(pl. nostalgìe)atteggiamento di desiderio e di triste rimpianto verso cose o persone passate o lontaneIrrimediabile la nostalgia del passato, assolutamente rimediabile la nostalgia di una vita futura: alzatevi, vivete il più possibile come vorreste e soprattutto vivete. Non si tratta solo del risveglio di una coscienza "politica", sociale, ma di una partecipazione attiva alla vita in generale. Tutti i Pereira del mondo - lo sono un po' anche io, lo confesso - dovrebbero seguire l'esempio di come quel grassone perse qualche chilo ed ebbe il coraggio di alzarsi e prendersi quello che voleva, accogliere il futuro e non sfuggirgli ricacciandosi in un angolino.
—Anastasia
