In 1938 Portugal is ruled by the dictator Salazar and the press works in a climate of censorship, distortions and half-truths. Pereira is a journalist, a middle-aged widower with a heart condition and a penchant for sweet lemonade, who edits the Culture page of a Lisbon daily paper. He avoids any political commitment, printing uncontroversial 19th century French short stories and planning obituaries of distinguished authors of conservative views. However, when he takes on a young assistant who is involved in anti-Salazar activism, Pereira is forced to face up to the realities of the world around him. His self-respect obliges him to make a stand and eventually the thugs of the secret police are beating a path to his door. Tabucchi's subtle and accomplished novel presents an arresting portrait of an ordinary man in an authoritarian state who finds that passivity is no longer an option.