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Bilinmeyen Adanın Öyküsü
by
"Bir adam kralın kapısını çalmış ve ona demiş ki, Bana bir tekne ver."
Bilinmeyen adaların kalmadığına inanılan bir dönemde bilinmeyen ada arama cesaretine sahip bir adamla böyle bir cesareti görüp hayatını değiştirebileceğine inanan bir kadının büyük usta Saramago'nun eşsiz anlatısında edebiyat tarihine geçen yolculukları böyle başlar. Emrah İmre'nin Portekizceden çevirisi ...more
Bilinmeyen adaların kalmadığına inanılan bir dönemde bilinmeyen ada arama cesaretine sahip bir adamla böyle bir cesareti görüp hayatını değiştirebileceğine inanan bir kadının büyük usta Saramago'nun eşsiz anlatısında edebiyat tarihine geçen yolculukları böyle başlar. Emrah İmre'nin Portekizceden çevirisi ...more
Paperback, 59 pages
Published
August 2014
by Kırmızı Kedi Yayınevi
(first published 1997)
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Felicia
You can check on Amazon or your local library (they often have an eBook section, where you can borrow .epub books) :)
Community Reviews
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O Conto da Ilha Desconhecida = The Tale of the Unknown Island, José Saramago
The Tale of the Unknown Island is a short story by Portuguese author José Saramago. It was published in Portuguese in 1997, and British in 1999. A man requests the king of his country to give him a boat so he can go in search for "the unknown island". The king questions him about the existence of such an island and tries to convince the man that all islands already appear on maps. The man states that only the known isla ...more
The Tale of the Unknown Island is a short story by Portuguese author José Saramago. It was published in Portuguese in 1997, and British in 1999. A man requests the king of his country to give him a boat so he can go in search for "the unknown island". The king questions him about the existence of such an island and tries to convince the man that all islands already appear on maps. The man states that only the known isla ...more
Apr 27, 2018
BlackOxford
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
portuguese-language
Inquiring
Real inquiry, all inquiry whether physical exploration or intellectual research, is necessarily blind, an act of faith in the unknown to reveal itself. Otherwise inquiry is merely repetition or review. So, paradoxically, there is no point to inquiry. The discovery which might result is per force entirely hidden and cannot be conceived in advance. Nor, therefore, can the obstacles which might be encountered, and consequently the eventual costs involved be assessed. Inquiry is, in other w ...more
Real inquiry, all inquiry whether physical exploration or intellectual research, is necessarily blind, an act of faith in the unknown to reveal itself. Otherwise inquiry is merely repetition or review. So, paradoxically, there is no point to inquiry. The discovery which might result is per force entirely hidden and cannot be conceived in advance. Nor, therefore, can the obstacles which might be encountered, and consequently the eventual costs involved be assessed. Inquiry is, in other w ...more
Oct 06, 2013
Jim Fonseca
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
portuguese-authors,
fables
A tiny book; 51 tiny pages with illustrations. A fable to be read at one sitting. Boy meets girl. Boy chases girl. Pursue your dreams despite obstacles.
I wonder if this Nobel Laureate author wrote this work to compete with his linguistic countryman, Paulo Coelho, who is a megaseller of simple allegorical tales. (Saramago is Portuguese; Coelho is Brazilian.)
The search for the unknown island has particular resonance for a Portuguese author whose ancestors were responsible for the European discov ...more
I wonder if this Nobel Laureate author wrote this work to compete with his linguistic countryman, Paulo Coelho, who is a megaseller of simple allegorical tales. (Saramago is Portuguese; Coelho is Brazilian.)
The search for the unknown island has particular resonance for a Portuguese author whose ancestors were responsible for the European discov ...more
‘Liking is probably the best form of ownership, and ownership the worst form of liking.
Saramago had a gift for delivering such potent messages in such a simple manner, focusing a vast array of complex ideas into a simple parable that easily penetrates to your heart. His short story, The Tale of the Unknown Island is no exception, as is brought to even higher heights of fairytale-like beauty with the simple illustrations by Peter Sís. While it would have been best to include this in a collection ...more
Saramago had a gift for delivering such potent messages in such a simple manner, focusing a vast array of complex ideas into a simple parable that easily penetrates to your heart. His short story, The Tale of the Unknown Island is no exception, as is brought to even higher heights of fairytale-like beauty with the simple illustrations by Peter Sís. While it would have been best to include this in a collection ...more
This is such a positive short story, and although I realize that sailing in search of the Unknown Island is just a metaphor for self-discovery, it made me want to go sailing too.
There are about 1500 reviews that summarize the plot and, since The Tale of the Unknown Island is anyways an allegory, I'll simply skip to the meaning. What is great about José Saramago is that he never lets the reader wonder what he intended to say: "I want to find the unknown island, I want to find out who I am when I' ...more
There are about 1500 reviews that summarize the plot and, since The Tale of the Unknown Island is anyways an allegory, I'll simply skip to the meaning. What is great about José Saramago is that he never lets the reader wonder what he intended to say: "I want to find the unknown island, I want to find out who I am when I' ...more
If you're into stuff like this, you can read the full review.
“A MAN WENT TO KNOCK AT THE KING’S DOOR AND said, Give me a boat."
In “The Tale of the Unknown Island” by José Saramago
I love the way Saramago builds this parable by using the Portuguese King D. João II and Columbus. He went to Lisbon in 1476 and remained here for several years, seeking the support of King D. João II and gathering nautical and geographic intelligence from the returning sailors. Why did we want to embark on the Age of Di ...more
To love is probably the best way to have; it is surely the worst way to love.
Briefly, perhaps my briefest yet: Log of the S.S. the Mrs. Unguentine—lite.
***^^^***
What? You want a real review? Try this one.
***^^^****
Still reading? Cheeses! I know what you want to know. No doubt in my mind. You want to know if if I’m padding my Read list to get current on my 2013 goal. Man, the audacity, some people think they’re entitled to know everything. So, with regard to the matter of catching up to my goal, all I will tell you is
...more
Mar 08, 2020
Steven Godin
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
spain-portugal,
fiction
My least favourite Saramago. Still, it was worth reading.
A superb (very short) novella about the power of will and love. The satirical pins with the unmistakable touch of humor are present, as usual, but what really stands out is the story itself: charming, intelligent, cautionary, heart-touching.
I read this story not as a standalone one, but as part of this volume: The Collected Novels of José Saramago
which, beside this fable, contains 12 of his novels and has a wonderful foreword by Ursula K. Le Guin: only words of praise about the man (and w
...more
I read this story not as a standalone one, but as part of this volume: The Collected Novels of José Saramago
which, beside this fable, contains 12 of his novels and has a wonderful foreword by Ursula K. Le Guin: only words of praise about the man (and w
...more
Saramago, fed up with some attitudes in his own country, auto-exiled himself, went to a neighbouring country such as Spain, took a Spanish wife, they both moved to an island legally belonging to Spain and set on the Northern coasts of Africa,
believed in humand kind and believed in a utopical union between Portugal and Spain, and got the Nobel prize for the quality of his works, always written in Portuguese and later on translated into other languages.
Saramago never betrayed Portugal... He simpl ...more
believed in humand kind and believed in a utopical union between Portugal and Spain, and got the Nobel prize for the quality of his works, always written in Portuguese and later on translated into other languages.
Saramago never betrayed Portugal... He simpl ...more
“A man went to knock on the king's door and said, Give me a boat.” One of the best incipit ever! The Tale of the Unknown Island is about the desire to go after what we don’t know. The topic is developed through a very short yet deep allegorical tale crossing the dimensions of dream and reality to go after that of an imaginary unknown island. The theme of the island with its symbolic and archetypical implications is always particularly appealing to my imagination so I really enjoyed reading this
...more
A short story with a 'Saramagonian' flavor!
From the very first word I thought it'd be a children story but Saramago kept drifting the main line each time I think I got to a finale, to end up with a surprising end!
It's too short to talk about or to say what I got from it without spoiling it! It'd take about an hour to read. Go find about it yourself, you'll not regret it.
...more
Oct 05, 2017
Zuberino
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction,
fairytale,
love,
nobel-prize,
ships,
portuguese-literature,
translation,
seafaring
Sweet little fairytale, about finding oneself and finding love. This has been turned into a one-hour play at the Gate Theatre which I saw last night - but frankly I prefer the book version. As with the radio, "the pictures are better." (But they did serve olives, bread and wine to everyone in the audience, which was kind of nice!)
...more
Don't you know, If you don't step outside yourself, you'll never discover who you are
...more
“They said there are no more unknown islands and that, even if there were, they weren’t prepared to leave the comfort of their homes and the good life on board passenger ships just to get involved in some oceangoing adventure, looking for the impossible, as if we were still living in the days when the sea was dark, And what did you say to them, That the sea is always dark, And you didn’t tell them about the unknown island, How could I tell them about an unknown island, if I don’t even know where
...more
This is my favorite fable about a couple of people that go in pursuit of the "unknown island" on purpose only to the ship they are on turn into the island they were looking for.
It's for entrepreneurs, or better put, it's for anyone who searches. It's the act of searching, of being driven from the inside, that is it's own reward. The finding, achieving, graduating, selling, being the King (close to him), financial statements, are all trailing indicators highly correlated with how things have bee ...more
It's for entrepreneurs, or better put, it's for anyone who searches. It's the act of searching, of being driven from the inside, that is it's own reward. The finding, achieving, graduating, selling, being the King (close to him), financial statements, are all trailing indicators highly correlated with how things have bee ...more
It reminds me of Herman Melville's Bartebly, on a smaller scale, both main characters are men who are persistent in something that we, the readers, don't understand. Bartebly in his constant refusal, and the man who asks for a boat.
A boat to do what? Visit an unknown island, an adventure that comes from a deep desire of something that he can't put into words, and almost no one understands. Until someone does. ...more
A boat to do what? Visit an unknown island, an adventure that comes from a deep desire of something that he can't put into words, and almost no one understands. Until someone does. ...more
Jul 02, 2020
Bernardo
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
portuguese-authors,
short-stories
A short story, which the reviewer enjoyed very much, it is a parable, written in the usual Saramago style, about having the courage and boldness, to go out there, into the unknown, and to find ourselves.
“Liking is probably the best form of ownership, and ownership the worst form of liking.” - José Saramago
“Liking is probably the best form of ownership, and ownership the worst form of liking.” - José Saramago
A beautiful, lyrical tale of daring to dream, the risks and rewards thereof, and self-discovery.
me: let me into your cave
do you know anything about José Saramago?
Carolyn: um
1) yes you can get into my cave
permission granted
2) no
who is that
what is that
me: he won a nobel prize for literature
started reading a short ass book by him today
Carolyn: oh
wow
me: seems okay
like a lil fable parable thing. pretty sure its not one of his major works
i like fable parable things
idk
its only 50 pages
the pages are small
...
Carolyn: haha
are you a hick
me: i dont think so
i might seem like one to you
via nz bein ...more
do you know anything about José Saramago?
Carolyn: um
1) yes you can get into my cave
permission granted
2) no
who is that
what is that
me: he won a nobel prize for literature
started reading a short ass book by him today
Carolyn: oh
wow
me: seems okay
like a lil fable parable thing. pretty sure its not one of his major works
i like fable parable things
idk
its only 50 pages
the pages are small
...
Carolyn: haha
are you a hick
me: i dont think so
i might seem like one to you
via nz bein ...more
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I love Saramago, i did before reading this and am just trying to spread out reading all his works so I don't run out them.
Simple and beautiful, this will be the best use of your time - and it won't take much of that.
Simple and beautiful, this will be the best use of your time - and it won't take much of that.
"indeed this is the way fate usually treats us, it's there right behind us, it has already reached out a hand to touch us on the shoulder while we're still mutter to ourselves," - 38%...more
"I know that even known islands remain unknown until we set foot on them," - 45%
"Liking is probab
Once again Jose Saramago delivers an evocative story in his decptively simple style. The system for requesting favors from the king illustrated the truth behind every government's red tape. The power of the story, however, comes from the faith underlying the search for the unknown island. One of the main characters is a man who insists he will search for an island which has never been charted and is therefore unknown. The woman who cleans the castle decides the search sounds like the life she wa
...more
thanks to Tia for the coolest xmas present. it was quite a pleasurable read and perfect length for my flight to guadalajara december 2009.
"Gustar es probablemente la mejor manera de tener, tener debe de ser la peor manera de gustar"
"What do you think, That you have to leave the island in order to see the island, that we can't see ourselves unless we become free of ourelves, Unless we escape from ourselves, you mean, No, that's not the same thing" ...more
"Gustar es probablemente la mejor manera de tener, tener debe de ser la peor manera de gustar"
"What do you think, That you have to leave the island in order to see the island, that we can't see ourselves unless we become free of ourelves, Unless we escape from ourselves, you mean, No, that's not the same thing" ...more
An absolutely glowing fairy tale, written with some of the most interesting language I have come across in anything I have read. It also just has a plain happy ending, and happens to convey the moral lesson I think (hope) will be so important to learn so many times in life. Stop bullshitting, and go after what you want. You'll be surprised how often it works out.
...more
wow. this one can be read to children or aloud with friends or family. it's simple and telling, and would be a brilliant way to introduce young readers to saramago, hyperrealism, and obstinate, opinionated narration.
...more
Jun 30, 2009
Emily
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
short-stories,
fairy-tales-and-myths
I read this book because Ryan Reynolds told me to ... aaaand my shame knows no bounds. Lyrically beautiful.
a sweet fable that peeters out towards the end. a nice one-subway-ride-read.
I want to write a tiny 50 page short story--including illustrations!--that sells for $16.
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José Saramago is one of the most important international writers of the last hundred years. Born in Portugal in 1922, he was in his sixties when he came to prominence as a writer with the publication of Baltasar and Blimunda. A huge body of work followed, translated into more than forty languages, and in 1998 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Saramago died in June 2010.
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“Liking is probably the best form of ownership, and ownership the worst form of liking.”
—
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“...you have to leave the island in order to see the island, that we can't see ourselves unless we become free of ourselves, Unless we escape from ourselves you mean, No, that's not the same thing.”
—
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