“His meals were always punctual. Whether she cooked well or badly he did not know; it was a matter of total indifference to him. During his meals, which he ate at his writing desk, he was busy with important considerations. As a rule he would not have been able to say what precisely he had in his mouth. He reserved consciousness for real thoughts; they depend upon it; without consciousness, thoughts are unthinkable. Chewing and digestion happen of themselves.”
In this novel, José Saramago delves into the complexities of religious devotion and societal transformation through a narrative set during the Spanish Inquisition. more
“Nowadays when we bow our heads before meals, we no longer say grace—we receive it.”
“Some people eat to quench hunger, and some eat just to satisfy their gluttony.”
“Food is not everything, they say, but it means the world to a starving person.”
“Not all expensive meals are delicious, and not all delicious meals are expensive.”