Shipping Through the Holidays ☀️📦

New Year, New You Sale ☀️- Up to 20% off 500+ books!

The Lives of Things

0.0 (0 reviews)
3.76 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating. ( 2,824 ratings, 316 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Lives of Things by José Saramago, a collection of intriguing short stories, delves into the surreal and fantastical. Each story portrays a world where ordinary objects and situations take on extraordinary dimensions, highlighting Saramago's unique narrative style and philosophical insights. These tales invite readers to explore the unusual perspectives and imagined realities crafted by the author.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2899
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 3-4 weeks

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This collection of stories might captivate you if you're intrigued by imaginative narratives that explore the surreal and hidden complexities of everyday objects and situations. It features the characteristic wit and philosophical insights of its renowned author, offering a unique perspective on the mundane that can be both thought-provoking and entertaining.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The Lives of Things

A surreal short story collection from the master of what-ifs

A surreal short story collection from the master of what-ifs

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Combining bitter satire, outrageous parody, and uncanny hallucinations, this collection of José Saramago's earliest stories from the beginning of his writing career attests to the novelist's imaginative power and incomparable skill in elaborating the most extravagant fantasies.

Each tale is a wicked, surreal take on life under dictatorship:

In Embargo, a man drives around a city that is slowly running out of petrol.

The Chair recounts what happens when dictator Salazar falls off his chair and dies.

In the Kafkaesque Things, the life of a civil servant is threatened as objects start to go missing.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Lives of Things by José Saramago showcases his narrative skill with a blend of surrealism and social commentary. Critics praise Saramago for his lyrical prose, intricate storytelling, and ability to convey deep philosophical insights through vivid, often unsettling tales. This collection features stories imbued with a mix of humour and poignancy that reflect on human compassion and societal issues, highlighting why Saramago is celebrated as a master storyteller.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781781680865

Publisher: Verso Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 May 2013

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Verso Books

Contributors:

  • Translated by Giovanni Pontiero

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 11.0mm

Width: 127.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 182g

Pages: 156

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction

About the Author

The Portuguese Nobel Laureate José Saramago was a novelist, playwright and journalist. His numerous books, including the bestselling All the Names, Blindness, and The Cave, have been translated into more than forty languages and have established him as one of the world's most influential writers. He died in June 2010.

Umberto Eco is a professor of semiotics at the University of Bologna and the author of Foucault's Pendulum, The Name of the Rose, and other international bestsellers. He lives in Milan, Italy.

Daniel Hahn is a writer, editor, researcher, and translator. His translations include Creole (2002), The Book of Chameleons (2006), My Father's Wives (2008), and Rainy Season (2009), by Angolan novelist Jose? Eduardo Agualusa.

Also by Jose Saramago

View all

More from General Fiction

View all

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 80,000 books and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.