A General Theory of Oblivion
Book Cover
|
|
| Author | José Eduardo Agualusa |
|---|---|
| Original title | Teoria Geral do Esquecimento |
| Translator | Daniel Hahn |
| Country | Angola |
| Language | Portuguese |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publisher |
Harvill Secker (UK edition) Archipelago Books (US edition) |
|
Published in English
|
June 25, 2015 (UK) December 15, 2015 (USA) |
| Media type | Print, digital |
| Awards | 2017 International Dublin Literary Award |
| ISBN | (first US edition, hardcover) |
| Preceded by | Rainy Season |
A General Theory of Oblivion is a 2013 novel by Angolan author José Eduardo Agualusa.
The novel recounts the story of an Angolan woman who locks herself into her apartment with her country on the brink of independence. She attempts to cut herself off from the external world for three decades until she meets a young boy who informs her of the radical changes which have occurred in the country in the intervening years. The book is based on real-life events.
Written in the author's native language of Portuguese, it was translated into English by Daniel Hahn in 2015. The novel marked the continuation of Hahn's long collaboration with Agualusa. The English version of the novel received acclaim from Western audiences.
The novel appeared on the short-list for the 2016 Man Booker International Prize, losing to The Vegetarian. The novel was the recipient of the 2017 International Dublin Literary Award, one of the largest literary prizes in the world, with a prize of €100,000.
The novel is set in Luanda, on the eve of, and during the immediate aftermath of Angola's independence from Portugal. The war for independence has left the area in a tumultuous and dangerous state, having raged for over twelve years. Moreover, tensions among the anti-colonial forces (funded by the Soviet Union) indicate that there could be continued violence and terror after independence is achieved.
The novel revolves around Ludo, a Portuguese woman living in the Angolan capital. In the midst of all the violence and chaos caused by the anti-colonial movement's clashes with Portuguese authorities, she decides to isolate herself from society by bricking herself into her penthouse apartment. She provides sustenance for herself by growing vegetables and luring pigeons into the apartment through a window. She incinerates her furniture to provide heat. The story is told from her perspective over the span of 30 years. The only information that she receives about the outside world and the political situation it faces comes from news reports on the radio, or the conversations of neighbours which she overhears.
...
Wikipedia