In this article I seek to re-read José Saramago’s novel All the Names with reference to Alain Badiou’s theory of the Event and the truth procedures that follow upon events of both Love and Art. Touching on various examples of love in the Western tradition, I show how Saramago’s novel presents an interesting case of the chance encounter, the Event, point-by-point episodes of fidelity, and the on-going development of a truth of love for Senhor José. I then conclude by briefly considering the Event Saramago in the novelistic tradition. Badiou’s theory allows us to see this work of the later Saramago in a new light and gives us reason to reassess his novelistic accomplishment.

Saramago, Badiou, Love, Event, acontecimento, Sousa Dias