An interesting collection of short stories that blends the surreal with the extremely mundane. In these stories objects and their lives - at times told in excruciating and pedantic detail - are expressions of a full gamut of other issues. Everything from love, loneliness, death, oppression and freedom.

Saramago's sometimes dense and evasive writing style is not for everyone. But it's often tinged with beauty and ironic humour. Standout stories for me include "The Centaur" and "Things".