This book by José Saramago, published in 1980 and released for the first time in Greek, depicts the struggle of a people to overcome centuries of oppression, exploitation, and social inequality. The intricate narrative, both personal and autobiographical, follows the journey of the Mau-Tempo family. These are poor farmers who closely resemble the author's own ancestors. The lives of these people, full of labor and sweat, unfold in a tormented region of southern Portugal. In the background, significant events take place, both national and international, such as the advent of democracy in the country, the two world wars, as well as the assassination attempt against dictator Salazar. Yet nothing influences the characters more than the prospect of existing differently; nothing stirs hope within them more than the subversive idea of justice. The novel "Those Who Rose from the Ground" is a significant milestone in the creative course of the later Nobel laureate. A book of pain but also great love, a moving tribute to the men and women who shaped him.

"The book is titled Those Who Rose from the Ground. Because, deep down, people rise from the earth, the wheat fields rise, it is the earth where we sow, it is the earth where trees are born, and from the earth, ultimately, a book too can rise."

José Saramago