In troubling times, the drive to escape everything for finer pursuits and the drive to immerse yourself fully in the muck can hit you simultaneously and with equal fervor. For that reason, it’s always welcome to find a book that’s perfect for scratching both itches, and Pereira Maintains is one of those books. Pereira is the culture editor at a Portuguese newspaper who is just beginning to understand the dark direction his country is taking, but in the meantime he fills out his days with the best spas and the best literature. There’s a playful spirit to Tabucchi’s perfectly streamlined writing, right down to the repeated use of the title on each page, and that energy might just be a necessary ballast in stormy weather.