In 1551, King João III of Portugal gave Archduke Maximilian an unusual wedding present: an elephant named Solomon. The elephant’s journey from Lisbon to Vienna was witnessed and remarked upon by scholars, historians, and ordinary people. Out of this material, JoséSaramago has spun a novel already heralded as a triumph of language, imagination, and humor”( El País ). Solomonand his keeper, Subhro, begin in dismal conditions, forgotten in a corner of the palace grounds. When it occurs totheking andqueenthatan elephantwould bean appropriatewedding gift, everyone rushes to get them ready: Subhro is given two new suits of clothes and Solomon a long overdue scrub. Accompanied by the Archduke, his new wife, and the royal guard,our unlikely heroestraverse a continentriven by the Reformation and civil wars. They make their way through the storied cities of northern Italy: Genoa, Piacenza, Mantua, Verona, Venice, and Trento, where the Council of Trent is in session. They brave the Alps and the terrifying Isarco and Brenner Passes; they sail across the Mediterranean Sea and up the Inn River (elephants, it turns out, are natural sailors). At last they maketheir grandentry into the imperial city. The Elephant’s Journey is a delightful, witty tale offriendship and adventure.

若泽·萨拉马戈（José Saramago，1922-2010）

葡萄牙作家。1947年出版首部小说《罪孽之地》，1995年获葡萄牙语文学最高奖项卡蒙斯文学奖。1998年，因其“充满想象、同情和讽喻的寓言故事，不断地使我们对虚幻的现实加深理解”，被授予诺贝尔文学奖。

萨拉马戈的作品风格独特，内涵深刻，作品主题大多关心的是人类的命运与世界的前途。写作手法上，他创立了一种充满想象、隐喻和讽刺的小说类型，赢得了无数读者的赞誉。

他一生创作了数十部小说和其他文学作品，已经被翻译成30多种语言，总销售超过350万册，主要作品包括《修道院纪事》、《洞穴》、《双生》、《石筏》等。