Baltasar and Blimunda Paperback | Pages: 346 pages

Details Books To Baltasar and Blimunda

Original Title:	Baltasar and Blimunda
ISBN:	0156005204 (ISBN13: 9780156005203)
Edition Language:	English
Characters:	Baltasar, Blimunda
Setting:	Portugal
Literary Awards:	Prémio Literário Município de Lisboa

Chronicle Concering Books Baltasar and Blimunda

From the recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Literature, a “brilliant...enchanting novel” (New York Times Book Review) of romance, deceit, religion, and magic set in eighteenth-century Portugal at the height of the Inquisition. National bestseller. Translated by Giovanni Pontiero. When King and Church exercise absolute power what happens to the dreams of ordinary people? In early eighteenth century Lisbon, Baltasar, a soldier who has lost a hand in battle, falls in love with Blimunda, a young girl with strange visionary powers. From the day that he follows her home from the auto-da-fe where her mother is condemned and sent into exile, the two are bound body and soul by a love of unassailable strength. A third party shares their supper that evening: Padre Bartolemeu Lourenço, whose fantasy is to invent a flying machine. As the inquisition rages and royalty and religion clash, they pursue his impossible, not to mention heretical, dream of flight.

Describe Based On Books Baltasar and Blimunda

Title	:	Baltasar and Blimunda
Author	:	José Saramago
Book Format	:	Paperback
Book Edition	:	Special Edition
Pages	:	Pages: 346 pages
Published	:	October 16th 1998 by Mariner Books (first published 1982)
Categories	:	Fiction. Historical. Historical Fiction. Classics. European Literature. Portuguese Literature. Cultural. Portugal

Rating Based On Books Baltasar and Blimunda

Ratings: 3.92 From 14860 Users | 734 Reviews

Criticism Based On Books Baltasar and Blimunda

I usually like historical fiction that goes in depth, deviates off the given plot in order to embellish on historical aspects here and there. This however was a trial to finish. There was a little too much wandering, and not enough interesting details about the main characters themselves to merit paying attention. The religious cynicism agreed with me, but didn't offer any food for thought. Unfortunately, this book proved to be one that went in one ear and out the other without affecting much.

I love almost everything related to the European Middle Ages and this novel was one of the best I've ever encountered on the topic. It helped me explore more about Portuguese culture, as well, and intrigued to go even deeper into it. I loved the story of Father Lourenço Bartolomeu, the real historical figure who invented a flying machine in the early 1700s, and the way it blends into the lives of the other main characters. I loved the mysticism blended with the vulgar and the realism of



I read Blindness as a starry-eyed 18 year old youth, and loved it loved it loved it. As spare as Blindness was, Baltasar and Blimunda is rich and dense.There's some beautiful imagery here. The problem is that the Baroque-styled writing-- while amusing at first-- eventually starts to grate a bit. But the story itself is so lovely that I was willing to bare through it. It was something of an uphill struggle at points, but it's a story about flying machines and one-handed soldiers and religious

Set in the backdrop of Lisbon during the 18th century Portuguese inquisition is a love story between two peasants: Baltasar, a war veteran with a hook for a hand and Blimunda, with her ability to literally see inside of people. Throw in a Brazilian priest (based on the historical figure of Bartolomeu de Gusmão) with a flying machine and you have some of the most delicious magical realism out there that's tempered with historical splashes that ground this book. These include bed bug infestations,

Baltasar and Blimunda revolves around the construction of the monumental monastery in Mafra, an effect of slyness of the Franciscans and vanity of the king of Portugal, Joao V. Thousands labouring workers to satisfy the morbid ambitions of monks and pamper bloated ego of the king remind us of builders pyramids in antiquity. Is it the ancient Egypt or the Catholic Portugal pride of kings and hypocrisy of clergy seems to be unchanged for centuries. Marriage of the altar and the throne always

Memorial del conventoI often thought that books can inspire you to travel. But these last two books by Saramago, "El año de la muerte de Ricardo Reis" and "Memorial del convento" have given me a different feeling. After traveling to Portugal last year, both books have become even more real after seeing many of the places visited. Both books have painted different periods of history in Portugal, the early twentieth century in Ricardo Reis; the early eighteenth century in Memorial. Both are