Requiem. Hallucination

On a sweltering July Sunday, an unnamed hero sets off on a journey through Lisbon. Along the way, he encounters a variety of people—both real and those existing only in his memory. The hero visits cafés and hotels, goes out to the suburbs, and, having ended the day with a meeting with a poet reminiscent of Fernando Pessoa, immerses himself in the city’s atmosphere.

The text brings together something like travel notes and a gastronomic guide to Portugal. It balances between reality and hallucination, unveiling fantasies and describing places and dishes in detail.

It’s no accident that Antonio Tabucchi wrote the novel in Portuguese, since this text is an homage to the country and city that became dear to him.

“Reading this novel feels like a lively conversation after dinner with a person whose brilliant erudition doesn’t allow you to dwell on trivialities. At the same time, within this fast text—made of a continuous stream of commas—there is an unmistakable charm and magic,” notes Kirkus Reviews.