| Books
about/set in Portugal and Brazil
-
Portugal
- Brazil
- Films
Portugal
Unfortunately, there is
not a huge amount of Portuguese literature available
in English translation. We will add more books to this
page as and when they come on to the market.
For a brief outline of the development
of Portuguese literature, please click here
- or here
for another one. |
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Luís
Vaz de Camões (1524-1580) is generally considered
to be the greatest Portuguese poet and classical writer.
You can find out more about him and his works on the
following websites:
Instituto
Camões
Art
history on stamps
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The Lusiads
by Luís Vaz de Camões An
epic poem, along the lines of Homer's Odyssey, about
Vasco da Gama's voyage of discovery to India. A great
adventure and a book that every Portuguese person has
studied at some stage.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Laura, teacher at JMJ Manchester
Click here to read about JMJ
- the school, the teachers and the director. |
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The
other towering figure of Portuguese literature is Fernando
Pessoa (1888-1935). You can find out more about him
and his works on the following websites:
Fernando
Pessoa in English
Fernando
Pessoa on Wikipedia
Nth
Position
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The Book of Disquiet
by Fernando Pessoa The diary of
a lowly clerk in Lisbon in the 1930s, recording his
thoughts about life and himself.
It's beautifully written and it
certainly makes you think, though it is somewhat depressing
in parts.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Laura |
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While
not quite having the stature of Camões and Pessoa,
José Maria Eça de Queirós (1845-1900)
is definitely a great Portuguese writer. You can find
out more about Eça
de Queirós and his works on Wikipedia.
The following two are my favourite Eça
de Queirós novels. |
Laura |
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The Crime of Father Amaro
by Eça de Queirós Set
in the Portuguese city of Leiria, where the author was
working at the time he wrote it, this book tells the
story of a young priest who commits the sin of falling
in love with a woman. The novel explores the issues
and exposes the hypocrisy of the church.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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The Maias
by Eça de Queirós This
masterpiece of literature is concerned with Lisbon society,
specifically with the fate of the wealthy Maia family.
It gives the reader a good idea of what life was like
for the Portuguese middle classes at that time, while
being in itself a very engaging story.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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José Saramago won
the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1998. Clearly, he
is an important writer and he has a lot to say about
Portugal. You can find out more about him by clicking
here.
Saramago's work is fascinating, though not always easy
to read. |
Alícia, teacher at JMJ |
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Journey to Portugal
by José Saramago A tour
around Portugal, exploring and illuminating. Loads of
insights into Portuguese life and history. One of Saramago's
more accessible books.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon. |
Recommended by: Alícia |
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Baltasar and Blimunda
by José Saramago Power
struggles and a love story in eighteenth century Lisbon.
All rather bizarre, as you would expect from Saramago,
but definitely enjoyable as well as interesting.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Alícia |
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Blindness
by José Saramago A powerful
allegory. Using blindness to represent moral superficiality
and lack of awareness, Saramago shows us what happens
when the blind all live together, with no-one with vision
to guide them. A disturbing book, which has been compared
to Lord of the Flies.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Alícia |
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A God Strolling in
the Cool of the Evening
by Mario de Carvalho A fantastic
book, ostensibly about the Roman Empire but with a clear
message also about modern Portugal. Well written and
fascinating.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Mark, student at JMJ |
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The Migrant Painter
of Birds
by Lidia Jorge A lyrical, poetic novel about
a girl and her absent father.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Sarah, student at JMJ |
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Act of the Damned
by Antonio Lobo Antunes A prize-winning
novel, set over five days around the time of the 1974
revolution. It focuses on a family trying to divide
up an inheritance but is really talking about the whole
society. An odd book, funny in parts and sometimes quite
disturbing, but definitely recommended.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Mark |
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A Small Death in
Lisbon
by Robert Wilson A very well
plotted thriller, moving between wartime and contemporary
Portugal. Quite heavy on the sex and violence but totally
gripping - I can see why this book won the Gold Dagger
Award.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Georgie, Director of JMJ |
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Portugal: A Companion
History
by José Hermano Saraiva An overview
of Portugal's history, with pictures, maps and chronological
tables.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Kate, student at JMJ |
Back to top
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Brazil
To read a brief outline of the development
of Brazilian literature, please click here. |
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Dom Casmurro
by Joachim Maria Machado de Assis A
marvellous novel, by perhaps Brazil's most important
writer, about jealousy and the madness it brings. Passionate,
tragic and absorbing.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon. |
Recommended by: Caroline, student at JMJ |
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The Posthumous Memoirs
of Brás Cubas
by Joachim Maria Machado de Assis An
unusual and wonderful novel, written (as it were) from
beyond the grave. Brás Cubas looks back over
his life and tells it with all the honesty afforded
by his being dead and no longer needing to dissemble.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Caroline |
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Rebellion in the
Backlands
by Euclides da Cunha A journalist
and former army officer's view of a government campaign
at the end of the nineteenth century to squash a religious
sect that refused to accept the legitimacy of the regime.
Rather heavy going but totally fascinating - and an
important book in Brazil.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Mark |
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In brackets…
The Peruvian writer and politician Mario Vargas Llosa
has written a more modern and accessible version of
the events described in da Cunha's book. |
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The War of the End of
the World
by Mario Vargas Llosa
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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The War of the Saints
by Jorge Amado South American
magic realism at its joyful best. Love, chaos, tragedy,
comedy and miracles abound in this forceful novel.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Jo, student at JMJ |
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Tieta
by Jorge Amado Sexual liberation
and environmental concern in 1960s Brazil. A bit ranting
in places but a pretty good story. Made into a lightweight
but entertaining film (see below).
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Patricia, student at JMJ |
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Gabriela: Clove and
Cinnamon
by Jorge Amado This novel is
a celebration of the food and culture of Bahia, in the
north east of Brazil. One of Amado's most famous books.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Patricia |
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Child of the Dark:
The Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus
by Carolina Maria de Jesus A
real diary from the 1950s, kept by a poor woman struggling
to keep her and her children's bodies and souls together.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Melissa, student at JMJ |
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Paulo Coelho
is a famous Brazilian writer, who has written a lot
of stories and parables that have helped people to see
their lives more clearly and take a more radical approach
to sorting out their problems. You can search for his
books by clicking here. |
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The Alchemist
by Paulo Coelho A fable about
listening to your heart and to the universe. A shepherd
boy finds the courage to leave his native Andalucía
and travel in north Africa, in search of this dream.
While this book didn't actually change my life, it did
inspire and encourage me - and it's a nice story.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Georgie |
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Travellers' Tales
Brazil: True Stories
by Annette Haddad (Editor) and Scott Doggett (Editor)
Experiences of travelling around the enormous
country.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Jo |
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A Death in Brazil
by Peter Robb A very enlightening
(non-fiction) book by the highly respected Australian
journalist, describing Brazil's history and culture.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Mark |
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Brazil: Life, Blood,
Soul
by John Malathronas Another book from which
I learnt a lot about Brazil.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Mark |
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| Films |
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The Miracle Of Our
Lady Of Fatima (1952) Actors: Frank Silvera,
Gilbert Roland, Angela Clarke
Certificate: U
Three shepherd children in the Portuguese
mountains in 1917 report seeing a vision of the Virgin
Mary and are put under pressure by the authorities to
take it back. Based on a true story (very well known
in Portugal), somewhat Hollywoodised but still definitely
worth watching.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Alícia |
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City of God (2003)
Actors: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino,
Phellipe Haagensen, Douglas Silva, Jonathan Haagensen
Directors: Kátia Lund, Fernando Meirelles
Certificate: 18
The violent story of a boy growing
up on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. Very realistic;
educational, I suppose; and certainly gripping.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Anna, student at JMJ |
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City Of Men (2004)
Actors: David Bontumasi, Steve Childerston,
Gabrielle Conradus, Roger Bardwell, Roy McCall
Directors: Jay Bonansinga, Fernando Meirelles, Cao Hamburger,
Kátia Lund, Regina Casé
Certificate: 18
A spin-off mini-series from City of God, continuing
the story of life in the favela.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Anna |
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Central Station (1999)
Actors: Fernanda Montenegro, Marília
Pêra, Vinícius de Oliveira, Soia Lira,
Othon Bastos
Director: Walter Salles
Certificate: 15
An emotional story of survival and the value of life.
Extremely well acted and utterly engrossing.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Jo |
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Black Orpheus (1959)
Actors: Aurino Cassanio, Alexandro Constantino,
Marpessa Dawn, Lourdes de Oliveira, Adhemar de Silva
Director: Marcel Camus
Certificate: Unrated
Based on a play by Brazilian writer
Vinicius de Moraes, a rewriting of the tragic Greek
myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in a (now relatively) modern
setting. The action takes place against the backdrop
of the Rio de Janeiro carnival and the music is wonderful.
A memorable experience of a film.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Mark |
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Tieta of Agreste
Actors: Sonia Braga, Marília Pêra,
Chico Anysio, Cláudia Abreu, Zezé Motta
Director: Carlos Diegues
Certificate: Unrated
Social upheavals and family rivalry in a film based
on Jorge Amado's novel (see above).
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Patricia |
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Behind The Sun (2002)
Actors: José Dumont, Rodrigo Santoro,
Rita Assemany, Ravi Ramos Lacerda, Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos
Director: Walter Salles
Certifcate: 12
A tragic tale of a deadly feud between two families,
set in the north east of Brazil in 1910.
Click here
to buy this now from Amazon.
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Recommended by: Anna |
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| Inspired
to learn Portuguese? If you
live in or near Manchester, you could start a one-to-one
Portuguese course with us tomorrow (or whenever
you like).
If you are a complete beginner, you might like to have
a look at our introduction
to the Portuguese language.
Back to Recommended
Reading
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