In José Saramago's compelling novel, Senhor José is a humble clerk at the Central Registry, where life is an endless archive of names. His monotonous existence is shattered when he becomes obsessed with the record of an unknown woman. Driven by an inexplicable urge, he breaks all the rules, leaving the dusty confines of the registry to embark on a clandestine search for her. This quest becomes a profound exploration of identity, the meaning of a name, and the fragile threads that connect one life to another in a vast, impersonal world.