The modernist master fernando pessoas work remained largely unnoticed during his lifetime. Livro do desassossego the book of disquiet, fernando pessoa the book of disquiet is a work by the portuguese author fernando pessoa 18881935. Best book of disquiet quotes selected by thousands of our users. Reviewing the book is like trying to make up a new language in the middle of a conversation. The book of disquiet is the work of someone who knows himself well, and cares only about reaching a kind of existential purity. Book excerpts memorable quotes from call of kayden.
The edition of the book that im reading richard zeniths translation from the original portuguese, published by penguin in 2001 comprises 481 of these notes, and ends with a disquiet. Searching online for a copy of the book disquiet by fernando pessoa, i found there were several translations to choose from by margaret jull costa, richard zenith, alfred mac adam, and iain watson. Ive been drawn to existentialism which i understand to be the recognition that life lacks meaning, rendering the human condition a function of mere existence since reading sartre, camus and kierkegaard years ago. The selected prose of fernando pessoa is an important record of a crucial part of the literary canon. An autobiography or diary containing exquisite melancholy observations, aphorisms, and ruminations, this classic work grapples with all the eternal questions. But the book of disquiet, made up of hundreds of short texts that constitute a sort of narrative, is a perfect match for this.
The book of disquiet manuscript, as well as most of pessoas work, was found in a trunk after his death he hardly published anything while alive. And yet, when a stranger messaged me on facebook because theyd seen that i was a fan, we wound up talking about it for an hour, stumbling around in circles trying to explain the way we felt. Fernando pessoa, excerpt from the book of disquiet. Also included is a generous selection from pessoas masterpiece, the book of disquiet, freshly translated by richard zenith from newly discovered materials. The book of disquiet, opera as one man, with films. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. John lanchester, the daily telegraph pessoas rapid prose, snatched in flight and restlessly suggestive, remains haunting, often startling. The book of disquiet was found, in fragments, only after pessoas death. The chevalier of disquiet by max nelson the new york. A truck passes, making the whole house shake, and since all things must come to an end, i get up from my thinking. The hunt for a complete edition of fernando pessoas.
The inventor of the mirror poisoned the human heart. But the book of disquiet, made up of hundreds of short texts that constitute a sort. An assembly of sometimes linked fragments, it is a. In these random impressions, with no desire to be other than random, i indifferently narrate my factless autobiography, my lifeless history. Great quotes from the book of disquiet exploring your mind. Reprinted by arrangement with penguin, a member of penguin group usa inc. The way of man fails, but the way of the lily brings hope. In fact, the book stayed with pessoa himself, discovered after his death in a trunk full of thousands of unpublished pages and not. The book of disquiet by fernando pessoa, paperback barnes. In lisbon there are a few restaurants or eating houses located above decentlooking taverns, places with the heavy, domestic look of restaurants in towns far from any rail line. The book of disquiet quotes by fernando pessoa goodreads.
Excerpt definition is a passage as from a book or musical composition selected, performed, or copied. Huck has been led to believe it would be sinful to help his friend jim, a runaway slave. Famously, the book of disquiet is an incomplete work, composed of 500some fragments. And i cant think of a better title for this haunting book. You cannot explain it with logic, but yet it exists. The first publication of the book was in 1982, nearly fifty years after pessoas death. The disquiet literary prize submissions are now closed for the disquiet prize for writing in any genre, by a writer who has not yet published more than one book. They stood before the great gateway, all around an empty and open countryside, ugly countryside, flat mudploughed fields.
The book of disquiet by fernando pessoa is one such modern masterpiece that i read last week. Theres no sunset so lovely it couldnt be yet lovelier, no gentle. The complete edition new directions, and it is based on a portuguese edition by jeronimo pizarro. Book of disquiet reveals a reclusive authors soul author fernando pessoa may have been a loner who lived most of his life in a single room in.
The translation is at once penetrating and delicately observant of pessoas astute melancholy. For my boss vasques, moreira the bookkeeper, borges the cashier, all the lads, the cheery boy who takes the letters. Fernando pessoas the book of disquiet is aptly titled. And at this table in my absurd room, i, a pathetic and anonymous office clerk, write. The book of disquiet is only a novel in the sense that we now stretch the word novel to cover unclassifiable fictional objects. In this chapter, huck finds his own moral compass and decides to do. The melancholic young lincoln, van sciver has carved a niche as a keen observer of the human condition, exploring the decisions people make that make, break, and define them.
Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Margaret jull costa sitting at his desk, bernardo soares imagined himself free forever of rua dos douradores, of his boss vasques, of moreira the book keeper, of all the other employees, the errand boy, the post boy. In this edition, scott esposito and bradley babendir discuss fernando pessoas the book of disquiet. No problem this is where we open those covers to give you a sample of whats inside. Disquiet refers to a feeling of anxiety, and this story has plenty of unease for both its narrator and readers. The book of disquiet should be read slowly and thoughtfully, savored and sipped like fine wine. The book is an aggregation of disparate diary entries that are abstract, dense, and at times, eccentric. The book has no obvious story, no plot, or characters aside from the narrator, but is instead a series of observations, sketches, and aphorisms, the diary of a lisbon bookkeeper, bernardo soares.
The selected prose of fernando pessoa by fernando pessoa. Pessoa published twelve excerpts from the book of disquiet in literary magazines and left, in the famous trunk that contained his extravagant written life, about 450 additional texts marked l. Pessoa published twelve excerpts from the book of disquiet in literary magazines and left, in the famous trunk that contained his extravagant written life, about. Yet there are also epiphanies and passages of deep humour. Sep 26, 2017 double take is our literary criticism series wherein two readers tackle a highlyanticipated books innermost themes, successes, failures, trappings, and surprises. A few select writers become companions who accompany you on lifes journey, or whatever part of it might coincide with the reading of their books. The book of disquiet is the portuguese modernist master fernando pessoas greatest literary achievement. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. As far as im aware, the book of disquiet isnt even considered one of his major works though it is probably his most popular work in english. Nov 23, 2017 of those prose pieces, more than four hundred ended up in the book of disquiet, an unfinished assemblage of brooding fragments pessoa began under one heteronym in 19, labored over for some seven years, dropped for nearly a decade, took back up under a fresh characters name in 1929, and kept expanding until his death. Buy the book of disquiet the complete edition book online. Fernando pessoa and the book of disquiet others can write better, and truer, things about fernando pessoa than i can, but the salient facts for these purposes are that pessoa 18881935 was a portuguese writer who published very little during his lifetime. Jun 19, 2015 fernando pessoas the book of disquiet is aptly titled. The narrator, perhaps a standin for pessoa himself, is clearly a distant literary relative of shakespeares hamlet or eliots prufrock.
The novella is tiny, a pamphletish work that can be read in around an hourandahalf. When i went to college for english and creative writing, i had never heard of this book. The book of disquiet also translated as the book of disquietude has a format somewhat like a journal or diary and is also a collection of vignettes and reflections. In a 1932 letter to joao gaspar simoes, fernando pessoa wrote that the book of disquiet, a project he had been working on fitfully since 19, needed much balancing and revision. Illustration by riccardo vecchio if ever there was a writer in flight from his name, it was fernando pessoa. Dec 25, 2009 book of disquiet reveals a reclusive authors soul author fernando pessoa may have been a loner who lived most of his life in a single room in lisbon, portugal. The book of disquiet is the weirdest autobiography ever. Whether in his fiction fante bukowski or nonfiction the hypo.
Dec 04, 2011 searching online for a copy of the book disquiet by fernando pessoa, i found there were several translations to choose from by margaret jull costa, richard zenith, alfred mac adam, and iain watson. The smallest episodesa change of light, the crumpled fall of a dead leaf, the petal that drops off. A bilingual companion to the book of disquiet, by fernando pessoa here, in margaret jull costa and patricio ferraris splendid new translations, are the complete poems of alberto caeiro, the imaginary heteronym coterie created by fernando pessoa, the portuguese modernist master. The book of disquiet stays with you, doesnt want to be consumed all in a rush, and is unlike any other book youll ever read. For more, read an essay about the text by rick vanderknyff and an interview with translator margaret jull costa. In the late hours of night, for days on end, i wasted myself reading this booki too had grown tired of the tedium in my daily routine, and for a while, this peculiar book was enough.
The book of disquiet by fernando pessoa, paperback. In fact, it remained unpublished not only at the time of pessoas death in 1935, but for 47 years beyond it. As far as the book goes, im still working my way through it. Recommended books having trouble judging our summer reads by their covers. Was 18 march 1914 the most extraordinary date in modern literature. But the strange and uneasy feeling you get from the book lasts much longer. Some beautiful excerpts from fernando pessoas the book of disquiet. Read free book excerpt from disquiet by julia leigh, page 2 of 2. The book of disquiet, written by fernando pessoa, a portuguese poet, is considered an early classic of existential writing. The book of disquiet penguin modern classics ebook. The book of disquiet penguin classics pessoa, fernando, zenith, richard, zenith, richard on.
Of those prose pieces, more than four hundred ended up in the book of disquiet, an unfinished assemblage of brooding fragments pessoa began under one heteronym in 19, labored over for some seven years, dropped for nearly a decade, took back up under a fresh characters name in 1929, and kept expanding until his death. Its a groundbreaking work of modernist experimentation that consists of a collection of writings found on disorganized scraps of paper in a chest found in the authors home after his death. We excerpt from the collection of possible attentions to a thing which comprises our knowledge of it. A unique voice, he combines composition with film and stage. On that morning the sky was balm, a pale and whitish blue. The book of disquiet paperback chicago public library. Aug 23, 2017 this excerpt of the book of disquiet is featured at poetry northwest courtesy of new directions press.
Three entries from the book of disquiet poetry northwest. Quotes from the book of disquiet by fernando pessoa bookmate. Buy the book of disquiet the complete edition book. Published posthumously, the book of disquiet is a fragmentary lifetime project, left unedited by the author, who introduced it as a factless autobiography. Samuel west, standing between films of ana moura and joao reis, in the book of disquiet at montclair state university in. Its not really a book you can read a lot of at once. He couldnt guarantee that it would be ready for publication within the year. My impression was that the zenith from penguin is the most complete. Most of this material was incorporated in the first edition of the work. Soares himself, in the only moment of being seen from the outside, looks like. I made myself external to such a degree within myself that w.
Zeniths selection is beautifully translated, compact while appropriately diverse. Assembled from notes and jottings left unpublished at the time of the authors death, the book of disquiet is a collection of aphoristic prosepoetry musings on dreams, solitude, time and memory. Call of kayden prologue the logic of science is not equipped to explain faith. May 31, 2018 the book of disquiet is remarkably difficult to talk about. Aug 21, 2007 the edition of the book that im reading richard zeniths translation from the original portuguese, published by penguin in 2001 comprises 481 of these notes, and ends with a disquiet. The book of disquiet penguin modern classics enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. The book of disquiet is enormous in every sense of the word and im eager to get into some of the granular details with you, but i thought we might start off this conversation with a more general question.
O n august 29th, new directions will publish the first complete, chronological english translation of fernando pessoas the book of disquiet. Jun 02, 2001 the book of disquiet fernando pessoa, trans. The book of disquiet quotes by fernando pessoapage 4 of 39. The book of disquiet by chad literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life. Fernando pessoa, excerpt from the book of disquiet if only our life were one long standing at the window, if only we could just stay there, like an unmoving curl of smoke, frozen at that one moment in the evening that paints the curve of the mountains with painful color. And this is all that it is possible to do since consciousness is a metaphor of our actual behavior. A newly published english translation, by margaret jull costa, is called the book of disquiet.
My soul is impatient with itself, as with a bothersome child. For its entire four hundred plus pages it offers a philosophy of a melancholic life, a philosophy of dreaming, and a philosophy of art. The book of disquiet is funny, lifeaffirming, and, of course, desperately sad. The prizewinning, complete and unabridged translationthe best englishlanguage version we are likely to see for a long time, if ever the guardian of a work of unclassifiable genius. It was to bernardo soares that pessoa ascribed his book of disquiet, first made available in english in a briefer version by richard zenith in 1991. Three winners will be published in fiction, nonfiction or the common poetry. This excerpt of the book of disquiet is featured at poetry northwest courtesy of new directions press. Featuring over a dozen literary comic shorts by acclaimed cartoonist noah van sciver.
1197 1499 1016 917 976 702 857 139 1114 295 1316 882 788 513 1378 142 233 1120 418 825 716 1241 1352 1547 1057 1253 294 951 114 1140 1392 495 1362 1488 392 594 365 1493 562 78