The Silence of Water [Hardcover]

A story of quiet contemplation and steely resolve by the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, illustrated for readers of all ages.

“I returned to the spot, even though the sun had already set, I cast my hook into the water and waited. I don't think there is a deeper silence in the world than the silence of water.
I felt it then and never forgot it.”

On the banks of a river near his grandparents’ farm, a boy is about to catch a big fish. At the same moment that he loses his prey, the boy has a moment of growing awareness of the interconnectedness of all things. He is compelled to try again to catch the fish even though he is sure it’s gone. And even though his chance has passed and he is company only to silence, he has staked a claim there by the river’s edge. 

From a childhood memory detailed in his book Small Memories, José Saramago spins a tale of quiet depth and wisdom–here translated by Margaret Jull Costa, and beautifully illustrated by Yolanda Mosquera. With its mix of peasant life, boyhood adventure and wide-eyed wonder, [his memoir Small Memories] makes perfect fodder for a couple of new children's books....Saramago may be gone, but it's lovely to see his work resurrected for a new generation. —The New York Times Book Review
José de Sousa Saramago, (November 1922-June 2010), was a Portuguese writer and recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Literature. His works, some of which can be seen as allegories, commonly present subversive perspectives on historic events, emphasizing the theopoetic human factor. More than two million copies of Saramago's books have been sold in Portugal alone and his work has been translated into 25 languages. He was a founding member of the National Front for thels|