1998 Nobel Prize winning Portugese author José de Sousa Saramago has died at the age of 87. Though often a controversial figure, Saramago’s works transcended the language they were originally written in.

One of his most popular works was Blindness, about a disease that causes people to go blind. It was turned into a film in 2008. Saramago wrote about the human condition, and often in a unique style. He was an ardent Communist and often made very controversial statements.

In spite of his controversy, and perhaps partly because of it, Saramgo’s books remain popular. He is often compared to such writers as Philip Roth and Thomas Pynchon. His most recent book published in English is The Elephant's Journey (RO's copy is in Spanish), and his last book, Cain, was published in 2009 and probably will be released in English in 2011.

Saramago's works available at the library:

• El viaje del elefante (The Elephant's Journey, Spanish)
• Blindness (book on CD and downloadable)
• Death with Interruptions
• Seeing
• The Cave
• Journey to Portugal

More Information:

• José Saramago, Nobel Prize-Winning Writer, Dies (New York Times)
• Nobel laureate José Saramago dies, aged 87 (The Guardian)
• New Ways of Seeing: José Saramago Interview (The Guardian)
• R.I.P., Jose Saramago, Portuguese Novelist, Winner Of The Nobel Prize In Literature (NPR)
• Postscript: José Saramago (New Yorker)

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