PENGUIN The Book of Disquiet

This review is for the unabridged audio version by Naxos on 16 CDs, this version has been compiled and edited by Richard Zenith. The reader is Adam Sims and is excellent. In fact he is such a great reader, that now I cannot imagine Pessoa’s or Bernardo’s voice, intonation and interpretation, different from his!There is missing text in the recording acknowledged by the narrator, the book itself I believe was not completed by the time the author passed away, what I do not understand is why the narrator sometimes reads that text is missing, and sometimes he doesn’t.At the end of this audiobook, there is a note about the author and the many choices of names he adopted, including Bernardo Soares.This book, not without substance, is written in form of a diary, or rather fragments, there are no dates, and is written in first person narration by the author Bernardo Soares, a very solitary man who lives or wants to live outside society, rents 2 rooms and this is his only home where he lives alone and he works as a book keeper in an office.The subject of religion is complex, at first listen, I found it contradictory at times, yes he is an atheist but it seems to me that sometimes he acknowledges the presence of the Creator.There are poetic descriptions of the sky and the air and the breeze, all this seems to be overshadowed by the view of a man who appears to be too cynical and beyond depression.I am an outsider myself, but many times I found myself thinking ‘no, no. no, it’s not so …. Or what is he saying?’I see beauty in the life he is leading, in the opportunities he might have or create for himself, he is not blind or disabled, only this is and should be cause for celebration, he is free and independent, he has a job that although monotonous, can bring rewards. He is in his own country, not everyone can choose to be in their own country in this life.In a few words, he does not know, he is not aware of the good fortunes he enjoys.I have mixed feelings about the book: if I read it 20 years ago, my reaction might have been different, but now …..For all the people who, by force or choice, find themselves in a situation of social isolation, if this is the right concept here, if they must or will get used to this, they get used to this and they will find a certain freedom, a liberty that is not present when one is in company of other people.He is not celebrating this, he treats other people with contempt, or anyway this is my understanding.From my point of view he had a lot to be grateful for: I would like to know where his contempt of others would go, if he were dependent on others because of, for example, some health condition that would impair his independence …. He also had to be grateful he had a job, and he had to be grateful that he was not forced to migrate to another country, where possibly he would have been a fish out of water there, and from where, he might not have been able to come back to his native country.From the point of view of someone who considers all this, some of the content seems a little pretentious and certainly cynical and willingly sad, irreversibly beyond apathy.I do not think that this attitude, which could be considered ‘snobbish’, is deliberate, this is one of the many reactions to pain and suffering, it is very easy, for example, for a sighted and able person, to take health for granted, and not see the beauty of independence and freedom.…. I am reminded of the author’s words when defining this bookBeautiful and uselessWould I recommend this book? no. there are passages which in my opinion, describe what I personally think, would never be able to describe, part of chapter 114 is an example, his description of his dream world is excellent and I understand it completely, but there are other sessions that I would not definitely recommend.

It's writing, but it's not a book. Pessoa's prose is dense and fascinating, but it goes nowhere and becomes exhausting after a few pages. There's no story – just a collection of pieces that may – or may not – finally cohere if you get to the end. Not a pleasure to read.

The book consists of 481 passages , the writings of the alter ego Soares of Fernando Pessoa, who is said to have had multiple personalities. Whether they contain the thoughts and beliefs of Pessoa, or what he imagined his creation Soares would think is impossible to say. The passages get rather repetitive , with many concerned with the world of dreams and how it relates to the physical world in Soares’ mind. There is an additional anthology with some passages grouped in themes. This is a highly praised edition, with the complex philosophical ideas having been translated accurately according to reviewers.

Fernando Pessoa remains one of the most enigmatic writers of the 20th Century. Thanks to the recovery of a trunk, full of unpublished manuscripts, and the recognition of the poet's genius, we are slowly beginning to build up a picture of his marvellous universe. Thanks especially to Richard Zenith.For those familiar with Kierkegaard will recognise the idea of using a false personage to write a piece. In Kierkegaard's case, his numerous alter egos were ways of articulating a subtle and sophisticated truth of our condition. Pessoa, in an imaginary world, read Kierkegaard and went one step further. He invented not just masks (pseudonyms) to write through but gave up authorship to his 'heteronyms', partial personalities who existed with some autonomy and distance from Pessoa himself and had very different views and experiences of life.Bernando Soares, the eponymous author of The Book of Disquiet, a book-keeper in Lisbon, records his observations of everyday life as if we were walking through an art gallery. He takes a simple gesture, a familiar place and transforms it magically into something more.It is not a book of desolation (as one reviewer would have it). It is full of delight, mystery and wonder.Thoroughly recommended.

I won't go into a drawn out eulogy about Fernando Pessoa and this magnificent book - just but it and see - and then forever after, whenever you pick it up to read or dip into, you'll be in a prose-poetic wonderland - possibly the most-loved of all the books I've ever had.