Seeing

I am now reading "Seeing" by Jose Saramago. He has become one of my favorite writers in the last few years, though not without effort. His work is in some way reminiscent of Kafka, which I both love and do not love. Perhaps everyone has such a relationship with Kafka. I am currently on page 94 (keep in mind 94 pages of Saramago is like 175? of another author, as he uses very little punctuation) and he has yet to really introduce a character. I have not yet read a name. But I love him nevertheless. My favorite of his thus far is most likely "The Cave," though followed closely by "The Stone Raft," "The Double," and "Blindness," all wonderful in their respective ways.

A review at the front of this one says it quite well I think:

"reading Saramago requires dedication, not unlike reading James Joyce or Marcel Proust. But as with Joyce and Proust, Saramago readers are rewarded at the end with a new way of looking at things, of finding the extraordinary within the ordinary world." ~ The Baltimore Sun

In reading this book I cannot help but consider the similarities with the current state of American politics (read: jingoism), as the book is an absurd tale about the unraveling of democracy.

Then I read the following piece in Adbusters this morning, which echoes some of my thoughts about our current state quite well. (borrowed from Adbusters issue 79) Where do we find hope amidst such a grim situation? Maybe Saramago will shine some light for me.

Posted by jeff pitcher at July 31, 2008 10:17 AM

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