It was first published in 1981 by Círculo de Leitores e Editorial Caminho.

[1] An English language translation was published in 2001.

A review in Publishers Weekly praised the book, calling it a "monumental work, a literary hybrid that intermingles an intimate portrait of a nation with aspects of a novel, travel log and guide book.

"[2] Writing in The New York Times, Michael Pye was critical of the book, saying "As books of travel go, this one goes wrong from the start; it is downright solipsistic", and concluded that the book was better as a guide to Saramago rather than as a guide to Portugal.

[3] The book was also reviewed in World Literature Today,[4] The Washington Post,[5] New Statesman,[6] and The Spectator.