Jose Saramago - Small Memories [Kindle azw3]

The Portuguese recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Literature died in 2010, leaving for posthumous publication his last novel, the rousing, delightful Elephant's Journey, and this equally charming memoir of his childhood ('the small memories of when I was small'), which is certainly one of the most sheerly beautiful writing exercises in any mode or genre of the season. In common with other writers who take backward glances at life, Saramago spends time'and in his case, lush time'remembering being raised amid idiosyncratic relatives and neighbors, who, if not directly supplying fodder for future writing endeavors, at least gave Saramago an early sensitivity to the fact that the best drama is about ordinary folk (one man is described as someone who 'lacked the intelligence to know which way the wind was blowing, or if indeed there was any wind'). What makes the book so distinctive and charming is that Saramago admits that certain of his memories have a fuzzy provenance'did he actually experience this or that event or just hear about them later?'yet at the same time, he simply lets the narrative roll along in verbal splendor and poignant intimacy, leaving the question of truth-rooted accuracy versus hit-or-miss impressions a moot point. --Brad Hooper