Our book group choice for May 2016 is Pereira Maintains by Antonio Tabucchi. Set in the sweltering summer of 1938 in Portugal, a country under the Fascist shadow of Spain, Pereira Maintains tells a tale of reluctant heroism.
The novel is set in Lisbon, Portugal, in the summer of 1938. The country is under the dictatorship of António Salazar, a right-wing dictator who has ruled Portugal since 1932. The regime is repressive and censorious, and any dissent is quickly suppressed.
The protagonist of the novel is Dr. Ricardo Pereira, a middle-aged journalist who works for the culture pages of a small Lisbon newspaper. Pereira is a widower and a lifelong bachelor. He is a bookish man who loves literature and classical music. He is also apolitical and has largely ignored the political events of the day.
The novel begins with Pereira reading an essay written by a young man named Monteiro Rossi. The essay is about death, and it strikes a chord with Pereira. He asks Rossi to write a series of “advance obituaries” for great writers who could die at any moment. Rossi agrees, and the two men begin to work together.
As Pereira gets to know Rossi, he begins to question his own political apathy. Rossi is a passionate anti-fascist, and he challenges Pereira’s views on the world. Pereira is initially resistant to Rossi’s arguments, but he eventually begins to see the world in a new light.
One day, Rossi is arrested by the secret police. Pereira is devastated, and he begins to realize that he must do something to help his friend. He decides to write a series of articles exposing the corruption of the Salazar regime.
The novel explores a number of themes, including the nature of courage, the power of literature, and the importance of individual conscience. It is a powerful indictment of fascism and a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope.
The novel is written in a spare, elegant style. Tabucchi uses simple language to great effect, and his prose is both lyrical and evocative. The novel is also full of humor, which helps to lighten the mood at times.
Discussion Questions for Pereira Maintains
- How did you find the narrative style of the book? Was it effective? Where is the testimonial coming from? Does the narration know more than Pereira? Or is it Pereira’s narration?
- Narration aside, how did you think the style of the book worked? There are no quotation marks or clear pauses between different characters speaking – did this impact the novel?
- The style of the writing is very simple. Was this enough to bring you into the story?
- Dr Cardoso talks about a confederacy of the souls. How much do you think other characters were used to represent different aspects of Pereira’s soul?
- Pereira is encouraged to stop living in the past and jump into the future. Do you think he and his complacency represent something bigger?
- The main character appears to be ambivalent at first and slowly change. Is this more or less effective than having a main character who can verbalise their opposition to the government, like Marta?
- Do you think the author managed to successfully combine politics and art in the story?
- Do you think Pereira is quite a selfish character, or is he more naïve?
Pereira is fixated with the resurrection of the body and with death, at the beginning of the novel. What changes? - What’s the significance of Pereira signing his name at the end of Monteiro Rossi’s obituary?
- What did you think of the ending?
Individual Ratings
DKB's Rating 
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Jo's Rating