{"product_id":"the-elephants-journey-isbn-9780547574110","title":"The Elephant's Journey","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA delightful, witty tale of friendship and adventure from prize-winning novelist José Saramago\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 1551, King João III of Portugal gave Archduke Maximilian an unusual wedding present: an elephant named Solomon. In José Saramago's remarkable and imaginative retelling, Solomon and his keeper, Subhro, begin in dismal conditions, forgotten in a corner of the palace grounds. When it occurs to the king and queen that an elephant would be an appropriate wedding 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, these unlikely heroes traverse a continent riven by the Reformation and civil wars, witnessed along the way by scholars, historians, and wide-eyed ordinary people as they make their way through the storied cities of northern Italy; they brave the Alps and the terrifying Isarco and Brenner Passes; across the Mediterranean Sea and up the Inn River; and at last, toward their grand entry into the imperial city. | \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"It would be hard to more highly recommend a novel to be downed in a single draft…Simply, this books flows, and keeps on flowing.\"\u003cbr\u003e--\u003cem\u003eThe New York Times\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"His most optimistic, playful, humorous and magical book, a grace note written near the end of his life...\u003cem\u003eThe Elephant's Journey \u003c\/em\u003eis a tale rich in irony and empathy, regularly interrupted by witty reflections on human nature and arch commentary on the powerful who insult human dignity.\" \u003cbr\u003e-- \u003cem\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Saramago...spun this whimsical yet compulsively readable tale...it's a perfect example of why [he] will be remembered as a master of surreal, enchanting prose.\"\u003cbr\u003e-- \u003cem\u003eGQ\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A picaresque romp that gleefully skewers the benighted souls clinging to outmoded worldviews while breathtaking new realities unfold right in front of them.\"\u003cbr\u003e-- \u003cem\u003eMilwaukee Journal-Sentinel\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mariner Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44890148831461,"sku":"NP9780547574110","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780547574110.jpg?v=1730232635","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/the-elephants-journey-isbn-9780547574110","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}