Books to Celebrate 50 Years of Freedom and Democracy in Portugal

On 25 April 1974, tanks took over the streets of Lisbon and carnations were put in gun barrels as a group of young military captains staged a coup. It became known as the Carnation Revolution and put an end to 48 years of dictatorship in Portugal, which consisted of seven years of a military dictatorship, followed by 41 years of the “Estado Novo” regime created by Salazar. The revolution was (almost) bloodless (four civilians were killed by the political police, having one of its officers also died) and became closely linked to the two songs that served as signals to the captains involved – “Depois do Adeus” by Paulo de Carvalho and “Grândola, Vila Morena” by José Afonso.

As we are now celebrating the 50 years of the revolution that overthrew the fascist regime in Portugal, I decided to recommend some appropriate books. However, as I can already picture some type of people eager to claim that the Portuguese dictatorship was not fascist, but “just” authoritarian and conservative, let’s take a quick look into the characteristics of the “Estado Novo” (“New State”) regime beforehand. 

Established by António de Oliveira Salazar in 1933, it created an authoritarian state, promoted a strong defence of nationalism and of the concept of homeland. There was only one party (“União Nacional”) with a militia (“A Legião Portuguesa”). The state exerted its repressive power via censorship, a political police force (the officers also had informers everywhere, who were popularly known as “bufos”) and the limiting of freedom of reunion. There was political propaganda and the cult of a leader (Salazar was promoted as a genius). Finally, there was a corporatist organisation of the working relations and society in general, meaning that free trade unions were forbidden, as were strikes, and that it was the economic corporations run by the state that negotiated with employees. All of these are also principles of the fascist ideology of Mussolini, whom at some point Salazar had a picture of in his office. Although the documents of the regime never directly mentioned fascism, the similarities are striking. There was also a lot of arm stretching, if you know what I mean, particularly before the end of the Second World War. In terms of differences, the “Estado Novo” regime was probably not as focused on militarism and there was a much stronger emphasis on Catholicism.  

‘A Noite’ by José Saramago

My rating: 4 stars

On this day fifty years ago, Portugal was still under a fascist (or fascist-inspired for the pedantic) regime. A Noite, a play written by José Saramago, is set on the night of the revolution that put an end to it in 1974. The action takes place solely in the building of a national newspaper linked to the regime and focuses on the reactions of the journalists and other workers to the events unfolding.

It’s the night of the 24th to the 25th of April. The lead editor of the newspaper, Abílio Valadares, phones to the censors’ office to know whether there are many cuts and changes required. Censorship doesn’t seem to bother him. He sends an employee to the office to collect the corrections needed and to take further news pieces for revision. While waiting, he has a conversation with the reporter responsible for parliamentary affairs about conspiracies and the imprisonment of intellectuals following a failed rebellion in the previous month.

The main people responsible for the newspaper are allies of the regime, but not all of the workers agree with that stance. While the director of the newspaper has just written an article about the cultural situation in Portugal that characterises him as a man of the regime, albeit one that wants to be ready for anything that may happen, Torres, the journalist responsible for the news of the provinces, is quite clearly one of the few in the newsroom who is against it. He is not interested in going up the career ladder, because that would require him to be complicit with the regime.

Favourite Books of All Time

If you asked me to choose just one book as my favourite ever, I would struggle and would come up with a myriad of excuses not to. I can, however, tell you what my six favourite books of all time are. Having read all of them twice and having loved them immensely on both occasions, I know I’ll probably not regret my choices in the near future, nor even in the long term. If I’m lucky I will just get to add more great books to this list.

The six books below are listed in no special order. I don’t think I could have ordered them even if I had tried. Had I done it, I probably would have just changed my mind right after pressing the publish button. They were written by authors from both sexes and almost all of them have already passed away. 

Atonement by Ian McEwan

Briony has been writing stories since a young age. In the summer of 1935, her prolific imagination has dire consequences after she witnesses an interaction between Cecilia, her older sister, and Robbie Turner near her home’s fountain. Her misconstruction of that event, their relationship, and the incidents that followed has long-lasting repercussions. Throughout Atonement, Ian McEwan conveys various impactful emotions in a moving way. Different perspectives are also presented always at the most appropriate of times, in order to grip the reader and connect all the dots.

‘Memorial do Convento’ (‘Baltasar and Blimunda’) by José Saramago

My rating: 4 stars

The titles of books in translation can either be a word-to-word version of the original or a more interpretative choice based on the characters and themes explored. Memorial do Convento, the original title of one of José Saramago’s most celebrated books, which can be literally translated into English as either ‘Diary of the Convent’ or ‘The Convent’s Memorial’, is a much more suitable name for the novel I’ve just reread than Baltasar and Blimunda, the choice of the British publishers. The book is, in fact, not only about the two fictional protagonists, but it also focuses on the various issues and people involved in the building of the Convent of Mafra in the 18th century. A sprinkle of magical realism is thrown in for good measure as well.

When King João V was struggling to have an heir with his wife Maria Ana Josefa, a Franciscan friar told him that if he promised to build a convent in Mafra, they would have children together. So, he vowed to do so! Let no one say that the Queen had previously revealed to the friar in confession that she was pregnant. The convent started being built years later when the king and queen had already conceived two children.

The characters in the book aren’t only royals, however. After losing his left hand in a war, Baltasar Seven Suns decided to leave Évora and go back to Lisbon and then Mafra. While he was in the capital, he witnessed a ritual of public penance (‘auto-da-fé’), which was part of the Inquisition. One of the “heretics” being punished was Blimunda’s mother, who after the trial was sent to Angola. Blimunda witnessed it all near Baltasar and priest Bartolomeu Lourenço. 

Portuguese Literature in Translation to Add to Your Reading List

Increasingly often, I see British and American readers expressing a desire to read more books in translation. If books originally written in Portuguese are only rarely mentioned, those written by authors from Portugal in particular are even less so. Books by Brazilian authors seem to be translated more often, which makes sense considering that it is a much bigger country and is not short of talent either. Moreover, it is much easier to find books by Portuguese authors translated into Spanish and French than into English.

So, I decided to write a post recommending books by Portuguese authors that I read, enjoyed and know that have been translated into English. I decided not to mention more than one book by the same author. Plus, two of the books below are poetry anthologies that don’t have a direct, singular original book, so I haven’t read all of the poems in them. As I read the books in Portuguese, I can’t attest to the quality of the translations.

 

A Little Larger Than the Entire Universe: Selected Poems by Fernando Pessoa

Pessoa’s most renowned work abroad is probably The Book of Disquiet, which I read in Portuguese many years ago. I much prefer his poetry, though. Is it because I studied it at school and, thus, am much more aware of its intricacies? Maybe. The best way to start delving into his poetry is through an anthology that comprises examples of the work of Fernando Pessoa writing as himself and his three main heteronyms – Alberto Caeiro, Ricardo Reis and Álvaro de Campos. A Little Larger Than the Entire Universe features poems in translation by all of them plus some by Alexander Search, one of Pessoa’s minor heteronyms, who wrote in English.

Books by My Favourite Authors that I Wouldn’t Recommend

As book lovers, we don’t miss an opportunity to recommend our favourite authors to other people. Since their work is special to us, not only can’t we wait to pick up more of their books, regardless if they are novels, short story collections, novellas or poetry, but we also want as many people as possible to read them as well. Currently, there are six authors that I consider to be my favourites of all time – Daphne du Maurier, Jane Austen, José Saramago, Eça de Queirós, Jessie Burton and Margaret Atwood. That doesn’t mean I would recommend all of the books that I read by them.

There are, in fact, books written by five of them that I either decided not to read until the end or that I rated with three stars. Although they didn’t taint my opinion of their work as a whole, they surely left me disappointed, seeing that I enjoyed much more all the other books that I read by them. If you are planning on reading books by Daphne du Maurier, Jane Austen, José Saramago, Eça de Queirós and Margaret Atwood, I wouldn’t recommend the ones below.

 

The Loving Spirit by Daphne du Maurier

After having enjoyed to varying degrees eight novels and two short story collections by Daphne du Maurier, I was not expecting to decide not to finish The Loving Spirit at around page 70 a week after starting it, despite having debated whether I wanted to read it or not for a while. The first character readers are introduced to, Jane Coombe, has always had an adventurous spirit. She married her cousin Thomas when she was 19 years old. The night she gave birth to their third child, Joseph, she went to the summit of a cliff, because she felt that her dream was about to come true – someone would fulfil her desire for adventure.

‘A Viagem do Elefante’ (‘The Elephant’s Journey’) by José Saramago

My rating: 4 stars

Inspired by a real historical occurrence, A Viagem do Elefante by José Saramago (The Elephant’s Journey in the translation into English by Margaret Jull Costa) doesn’t have the most exciting and intricate of plots. It is still an engaging book, however. Some of its best assets are the many philosophical and social considerations about various topics, including hierarchical power, human behaviour, religious beliefs, and how fiction is written, which are all included in long, but harmonious, paragraphs.

Set in the 16th century, the book starts the moment King João III of Portugal tells his wife, Catarina from Austria, that he is not pleased with the gift they gave to her cousin, the Archduke Maximilian, for his marriage four years before. Seeing that he happens to be in Spain, the king wants to offer him something else. They agree that Salomão, their elephant from India, is the perfect gift.

The king then chooses a group of people to escort Salomão to Valladolid where the Archduke is staying for a while. Among them is Subhro, the elephant driver. Throughout their journey from Lisbon to the Spanish border, Subhro and the military commander, who is not a cruel man but wants his rank to be respected, have various conversations. One of them is about Christianity and Hinduism, which leads to a priest wanting to bless the elephant. It’s a funny moment, as he just uses water from a nearby well.

First Books to Read by My Favourite Authors

The first book we choose to read by some authors may end up having a significant impact on whether we decide to continue to explore their work or not. When someone asks us to recommend a first book to read by one of our favourite writers, we surely want to mention one that will make that person want to continue to read their books. Which should we recommend? The first one we read? Our favourite? Or some other? I tried to answer these questions regarding my current favourite authors: Daphne du Maurier, Jane Austen, José Saramago, Eça de Queirós, Jessie Burton and Margaret Atwood.

 

Daphne du Maurier: Jamaica Inn

When we fall head over heels in love with the first book we read by an author, it’s difficult not to keep comparing our subsequent reads by them to it. That’s what happened to me with Daphne du Maurier and the magnificent Rebecca. For that reason, if you still haven’t started exploring Du Maurier’s work, I recommend starting with Jamaica Inn instead. It’s a great novel that will make you want to continue reading her books, while still having her best book (in my opinion) to look forward to.

Jamaica Inn is atmospheric and mysterious. After the death of her mother, the main character, Mary Yellan, went to live with her aunt Patience, who was married to Joss Merlyn. He was the new landlord of Jamaica Inn. Mary soon realised that her uncle was involved in some kind of criminal activity. Throughout the book, there are various instances which shine thanks to a tangible sense of menace. The believable characters and realistic dialogues make the book captivating.

Pairs of Books to Gift this Christmas

Are your dear friends and family members eager to receive books this Christmas? One of the options that will make them love you even more is to present them with two books that share some similarities, so they can compare and contrast. Some of the books I’m about to recommend are on the surface obviously very much alike. However, they are not carbon copy of one another. Not only do their authors have disparate writing styles, but the details of the plot also end up making them unique in many ways.

 

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent and Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

Both Burial Rites and Alias Grace are fictional books inspired by real-life occurrences – two women are considered guilty of murdering two people each. But did they? In Burial Rites, Hannah Kent presents the touching and poignant story of Agnes, whom was sentenced to death after being considered guilty of killing her lover, Nathan, and Pétur in Iceland in the 19th century. While awaiting the day of her execution at the house of one of the officers in the district, she is visited by Assistant Reverend Thorvardur and tells him her version of events.

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood focuses on the role that Grace Marks played in the murders of Thomas Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery. While in prison, she receives the visit of doctor Simon Jordan and recalls various moments from her life until then. Grace’s inner thoughts and reminiscences are strikingly turn into words.

Authors I Want to Read Every Year – A Rethink

I don’t ever want reading to feel like a chore. When in 2017 I wrote a post about the authors that I wanted to read every year, I didn’t expect to constantly have to check it a couple of years down the line in order to make sure that I would have enough time to read books by those authors. The fact that I was almost forcing myself to find the time is certainly a sign that I am not truly eager to read books by them. A rethink is obviously needed!

My list of authors to read every year featured Margaret Atwood, Charles Dickens, John Burnside, Ian McEwan, Daphne du Maurier, José Saramago and Mia Couto. From these authors, there are only three that I feel I would have picked up books by this year if it were not for the list – Daphne du Maurier, José Saramago and Margaret Atwood. Unsurprisingly, these authors are some of my favourites of all time.

Why am I not as excited to read books by the other authors as I was before? I don’t have a definite, single answer. In the cases of Charles Dickens and John Burnside, it’s probably because I was disappointed with the latest books that I picked up by them. Mia Couto’s novels were starting to feel a bit samey to me, though I enjoyed them all. And I’ve always had a difficult reading relationship with Ian McEwan, having enjoyed some of his books and disliked others.