El insolito viaje del elefante Salomon a traves de la Europa del siglo XVI. Edicion especial ilustrada por Manuel Estrada, premio Nacional de Diseno, para celebrar el 20. aniversario de la concesion del Premio Nobel a Jose Saramago.A mediados del siglo XVI el rey Juan III ofrece a su primo, el archiduque Maximiliano de Austria, un elefante asiatico. Asi comienza esta novela que cuenta el viaje epico por Europa de ese elefante llamado Salomon, llevado a cabo por caprichos reales y absurdas estrategias. Hoy, cuando se cumplen los veinte anos del Premio Nobel de Literatura a Saramago, ve la luz esta edicion especial de El viaje del elefante disenada por el Premio Nacional de Diseno, Manuel Estrada.

Este no es un libro historico, es una combinacion de hechos reales e inventados que nos hace sentir la realidad y la ficcion como una unidad indisoluble, como algo propio de la gran literatura. En ella, el humor y la ironia, marcas de la implacable lucidez del autor, se unen a la compasion con la que Jose Saramago observa las flaquezas humanas. Escrita diez anos despues de la concesion del Premio Nobel, El viaje del elefante nos muestra a un Saramago en todo su esplendor literario.

ENGLISH DESCRIPTION

The unbelievable journey of Solomon the elephant throughout Europe in the 16th century. A special edition, illustrated by Manuel Estrada, National Design Award winner, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Jose Saramago’s Nobel Prize.

In the middle of the 16th century, King Juan III offers his cousin, Archduke Maximiliano of Austria, an Asian elephant. Thus begins this novel that tells of this elephant named Solomon’s epic journey through Europe, brought about by royal whims and absurd strategies. Today, as the 20th anniversary of Jose Saramago’s Nobel Prize approaches, we have the pleasure of seeing this special edition of The Elephant’s Journey designed by the National Design Award winner, Manuel Estrada.

This is not a historical book, it is a combination of real and imagined events that leads us to feel reality and fiction as one and the same, as only great literature can do. In it, humor and irony, marks of the author’s relentless clarity, join the compassion with which he observes human frailty. Written ten years after his Nobel Prize was awarded, The Elephant’s Journey shows us a Saramago in all his literary splendor.