Pereira Declares: A Testimony

Rating:
Summary: A study of coming totalitarianism
Review: Antonio Tabucch's short (136 pgs.) and magnificant 1994 novel Declares Pereira is a devistating study of the coming of totalitarianism. Set in Portugal in 1938, Tabucchi's tale, originally written in Italian, is the story of an overweight, fading, and ill newspaper reporter now editing the culture page of a mediocre Lisbon newspaper who befriends, and then helps, a young writer with unacceptable political views. Pereira steadfastly tries to avoid any political involvement whatsoever, but the nature of the coming Nazi state makes neutrality impossible. Pereira must choose, and this choice involves either betrayal of his young comrade or his own political suicide. I will not disclose how or why Pereira exercises his option. Read this book and find out!

Rating:
Summary: A fictional story that has happened several times
Review: I read this book convinced it was a true story. This is because the book edition I bought read, in addition to the title "Pereira Declares", also the sub-title "A testimony". Hence I thought it was a life testimony, a true account. In fact, that's why I bought it and read it, as I read mostly non-fiction. Nothing in the story gave it away as fiction - which I would later discover that it was.

I grew up in Lisbon and recognized many places mentioned in the book. But what made the book read true to me was the characters. How believable each character is to me. Each of these people was someone I could have met in Lisbon. I am still astonished that they are fictional characters. Because their mental processes, their lives, their reactions, everything about them is completely familiar, completely Portuguese. Antonio Tabucci, an Italian living in Portugal for many years, has empathically understood the soul of many in Portugal. When I later came to realize that the story was fictional, it was Tabucci's complete understanding of the Portuguese soul that amazed me the most.

And so, the story was made up. It didn't actually happen. Well, actually it did. It happened many many times. That is, many true stories that happened under the Salazar regime were variants of this story. The facts may have differed (names, places, ages, all of the details), but this story occurred: the non-political person, certainly not an opponent of the regime (perhaps viewing Salazar as a strict father figure, not as a dictator), minding their business - the family, making ends meet, etc - suddenly, without any notice (never having even considered such a thing in their life) and in the absence of any ideological foundation for that whatsoever, makes a split-second decision that puts him/her at enormous personal risk because they were faced directly with great injustice done to oterhs. One moment their life is entirely safe and predictable, as it always had been, the next moment, on a moment's decision, they better hide or go into exile.

This story has happened often, among the resignated Portuguese of yesterday, as much as among people the world over. That's why true stories are to me the ultimate thrill.

Rating:
Summary: Tabucchi again shows considerable skill
Review: Pereira Declares is set in Lisbon as Portugal is sliding into an oppressive state. Pereira is the editor of a cultural page where his work reflects not what he would wish to write but rather what is acceptable to write. He life revolves around his dead wife, food and his dream of writing a book. After seeing a piece by Monteiro Rossi, a recent university graduate in philsophy, he hires Rossi to write a column for the cultural page. Rossi is as politically aware and active as Pereira is blinded and inactive. The story is of the growing relationship between the two men and the choices Pereira is forced to make as he starts participating in life.

While the plot is predictable in the sense that people are predictable, the writing and wit of the novel not only is entertaining but also forces the reader to consider their own stance regarding death, religion and politics.

This novel is well worth your time.