«Saramago vuelve comprensible una realidad huidiza, con parábolas sostenidas por la imaginación, la compasión y la ironía'. --Comité Nobel

«Hay que vivir aunque sea de cualquier modo, siempre que sea vivir.'

>Entre cavilaciones sobre la esencia del amor, el paso del tiempo y los deslumbrantes cambios en la naturaleza, la joven viuda pasa las noches en vela, espiando los amores de sus criadas y padeciendo la soledad propia. Hasta que dos hombres muy distintos irrumpen en su vida y su destino se tambalea inesperadamente.

Escrita en 1947, La viuda es la primera novela del autor, que vio la luz en Portugal con el título de Terra do pecado por decisión del editor. Hoy, cuando se cumple el centenario del autor, se publica por primera vez en español, respetando su título original, esta historia escrita por un joven José Saramago, que anticipa el gran escritor que todos conocemos. En ella está ya presente su personal forma de mirar el mundo y algunas de las características de sus novelas más aclamadas: la extraordinaria fuerza narrativa y un personaje femenino inolvidable.

ENGLISH DESCRIPTION

THE FIRST NOVEL BY THE PORTUGUESE NOBEL PRIZE WINNER, UNPUBLISHED SO FAR IN SPANISH

The start of the author's centennial celebration

"Saramago makes an elusive reality understandable, with parables sustained by imagination, compassion and irony." -Nobel Committee

"You have to live in any way possible, as long as it means living."

After the death of her husband, Maria Leonor, mother of two children, feels overwhelmed by the difficulties in managing her farm in the Alentejo, the expectations of society, and the tight control of her environment. After a few months in deep depression, she finally decides to face her responsibility as the owner of the land, but her heart is tormented by a secret sin: despite being in mourning, her desire has not subsided.

Amid musings about the essence of love, the passage of time and the dazzling changes in nature, the young widow spends her nights awake, spying on her maids' lovers and suffering in her own loneliness. Until two very different men break into her life and her fate unexpectedly falters.

Written in 1947, The Widow is the author's first novel, which was published in Portugal under the title Terra do pecado / Land of Sin, a decision made by the editor. Today, with the celebration of the author's centennial, it is published for the first time in Spanish, respecting its original title, this story written by a young José Saramago, who foresees the great writer we all know. In it, his unique way of looking at the world and some of the characteristics of his most acclaimed novels are already present: the extraordinary narrative force and an unforgettable female character.