Review: Sostiene Pereira by Antonio Tabucchi

Review of the book “Sostiene Pereira” by Antonio Tabucchi.

“Sostiene Pereira” is a novel by Italian author Antonio Tabucchi, originally published in 1994. The story takes place in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1938, during the dictatorial regime of Salazar.

Why read “Sostiene Pereira” by Antonio Tabucchi?

If you like Italian literature, the history of Europe in the 20th century or novels that portray the transformation of a character, I recommend that you read “Sostiene Pereira” by Antonio Tabucchi. It is a masterpiece that combines suspense, humor, reflection and emotion in a fast-paced and engaging narrative.

The novel is set in Lisbon in 1938, a key year in the history of the continent. Portugal lives under the dictatorship of Salazar, an ally of Italian fascism and Spanish Francoism. The Spanish civil war is at its height and threatens to spread. The shadow of Nazism looms over Europe. In this context, the protagonist is Pereira, a veteran journalist who is in charge of the cultural page of an insignificant newspaper, the Lisboa. Pereira is a lonely man, widowed, obese and with heart problems. His only passion is French literature, especially dead or dying writers. His only company is the portrait of his deceased wife, with whom he often converses.

Pereira lives oblivious to the political and social reality that surrounds him, sheltered in his routine and indifference. However, everything changes when he meets Monteiro Rossi, a young philosopher who has written a thesis on death and who offers to collaborate with him. Monteiro Rossi is the opposite of Pereira: he is vitalist, idealistic, committed to the anti-fascist cause and willing to fight for freedom. Pereira is attracted to him and to his girlfriend Marta, a young painter who also participates in the resistance. Through them, Pereira comes into contact with a new world, full of risks, hopes and challenges.

Pereira hires Monteiro Rossi to write advance obituaries for famous writers who are still alive but could die at any moment. However, Monteiro Rossi takes the opportunity to write incendiary articles against fascism and its literary representatives, such as Marinetti or D’Annunzio. Pereira is forced to reject them and hide them in a drawer, but he cannot help but feel challenged by them. Little by little, Pereira begins to question his own passive and conformist attitude, and to become aware of the situation in his country and his continent. Pereira faces a moral dilemma: should he remain a spectator or should he become an actor? Should he ignore or denounce injustices? Should he remain silent or speak out?

The novel is written in the form of a court declaration or personal testimony. Each chapter begins with the phrase “Pereira maintains,” which gives the book its title and creates an effect of ironic distance between the narrator and the character. The style is simple and direct, but full of nuances and literary resources. The plot is fast-paced and surprising, with unexpected twists and moments of great dramatic tension. The characters are complex and believable, with their contradictions and their evolutions. The setting is masterful, with a meticulous and poetic recreation of the city of Lisbon and its oppressive and melancholic atmosphere.

“Sostiene Pereira” is a novel that addresses universal themes such as life, death, love, friendship, literature, memory, identity, ethics and politics. It is a novel that invites us to reflect on our role in the world and on our responsibility as citizens.

The novel follows the life of Pereira, a cultural journalist working for a Lisbon newspaper. Pereira is plunged into depression following the death of his wife and has begun to reflect on life and death. His work has brought him into contact with Monteiro Rossi, a young writer who is committed to communism and is persecuted by the authorities. Pereira is attracted to Rossi’s writing and decides to publish his articles in the newspaper, which puts him in danger of being reported by the authorities.

As Pereira delves deeper into Rossi’s writing, he begins to question his own beliefs and his passivity in the face of Salazar’s dictatorial regime. Through conversations with his deceased wife and with Monteiro Rossi, Pereira begins to become aware of the need to act against injustice and oppression.

Tabucchi’s novel addresses profound and universal themes such as life, death, responsibility and freedom. The work is a reflection on morality and ethics in times of dictatorship and how passivity can be complicit in oppression. Tabucchi also criticizes propaganda and media manipulation used to control the population and support authoritarian regimes.

Tabucchi’s prose is simple and elegant, with poetic prose that emphasizes the emotions and feelings of the characters. The novel is an exciting and intense work that reads quickly and, at the same time, forces the reader to reflect on the universal themes it addresses.

In short, “Sostiene Pereira” is a deeply moving and thoughtful novel that skillfully and poetically addresses universal themes. The work is a critique of passivity in times of dictatorship and a reflection on morality and ethics in situations of oppression. Tabucchi’s prose is simple and elegant, making the novel easy to follow, but no less powerful. “Sostiene Pereira” is a work that will captivate the reader from the first page and force them to reflect on the deepest questions of life and death.