We're planning to visit Portugal in the fall. As a part of my trip planning, I like to read a book about the place to get a sense of place. Nonfiction about history or architecture mostly, but I do enjoy a good novel. Any recommendations?
Thanks in advance.
Mary
I can not recommend a book but I have been watching youtube videos. There are many excellent. choices. I also assume that R S guidebook on Portugal would give you a lot of information about the history and architecture, I also think that you could find much info on this site.
https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/portugal
and Rick included a t v show on Portugal for his Europe celebration You can search and find the Portugal show on youtube
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/festival-of-europe-video-recordings
Thanks for your response, bostonphil7, but I'm not looking for guidebooks. We already have the updated Rick Steves Portugal book and have been watching many YouTube videos for our trip planning. I'm looking for books such as good novels set in Portugal or nonfiction about Portugal's history of exploration, etc.
p 441 of the ninth edition of the RS Portugal guide is a page called "Recommended Books and Films." He adds this to the end of every guidebook and it answers exactly your question.
A Day of Atonement by David Liss. A historical novel set in Lisbon. I have read a few of his historical novels and they are very well written.
I can recommend "The Portuguese" by Barry Hatton. It provides good coverage of seminal events like the Age of Discovery and the four continent empire, the 1755 earthquake and fire, the Salazar dictatorship etc.
Thank you all for your suggestions. I found the book recommendations in the Rick Steves guidebook (hadn't gone that far in the book yet!) Looking forward to reading The Portuguese.
Mary
If you like podcasts I recently listened to ‘The Rest is History’ 3 part Portugal special. Covers the history of Portugal in a very accessible and entertaining way.
Thanks, Helen, for the podcast recommendation. I'll check it out!
Mary
These suggestions are not from me, though I'm working my way thru them. They come from a Facebook post on "Travel Portugal", a facebook group. I've found the group to be very helpful. Some of the books suggested were "Night train to Lisbon" (Mercier), "The Librarian Spy", "A Small Death in Lisbon", "Two nights in Lisbon", "The High Mountains of Portugal: A Novel", "Cork Boat", "Baltasar and Blimunda", "A God Struggling in the Cool of the Evening", "The Mapmaker's Daughter" and "Letters of a Portuguese Nun". Also, there is an author that writes historical fiction set in Portugal, Richard Zimmer
I appreciate wanting to read novels about locations... And I'm sorry I don't have any for Portugal.
After hearing about our upcoming journey to Portugal, a friend gave us a book about the country published by National Geographic. It's terrific -- and different from the RS guidebooks.
Many thanks to Scott for recommending "The Portuguese: A Modern History" by Barry Hatton. I'm finding it interesting, well written, easy reading, and very informative. I now have a better grasp of Portuguese history as well as the Portuguese mindset.
I can recommend”Two Nights in Lisbon” by Cris Pavone. It’s a 2022 suspense novel that has received great reviews. Much of the story takes place in Lisbon and I enjoyed reading it. Check it out! Suzanne
maryh, please include some Portuguese poetry in your trip planning. Fernando Pessoa is one of the foremost, if not THE foremost Portuguese poet. To give you "a sense of place", about the Alentejo, this is what he wrote:
**Alentejo Seen from the Train*
"Nothing with nothing around it.
And a few trees in between
None of which very clearly green,
Where no river or flower pays a visit.
If there be a hell. I've found it,
For if it ain't here, where the Devil is it?" 1907*
Please read about Fernando Pessoa, who wrote poetry, essays and fiction, as at least five distinct individuals (which he calls "heteronyms"). You will learn a lot about Portugal!
