José Cardoso Pires
Encyclopedia
José Cardoso Pires, ComL
, GCM was a Portuguese author
of short stories
, novel
s, plays
, and political satire
.
, Castelo Branco district. Many of the memories Cardoso Pires recounts are interesting in regard of the themes of his writing and his style as a novelist.
Although he was born in the provinces, Cardoso Pires was very much a man of Lisbon, the speech patterns and urban spaces of which can be felt in both his novels and short stories. His father was in the merchant navy
and his mother was.
Some of his paternal family had emigrated to Massachusetts, and this vague American connection seems to have been one of the early reasons for Cardoso Pires' receptiveness to American literary styles at a time when Portugal looked to France (and to extent Brazilian regionalism of the North East) for its narrative models.
In a documentary produced for Portuguese television, Cardoso Pires describes seeking refuge in cinemas as a youth, and the effect that had on his notion of story-telling. He explains how, after seeing a film, he would have to recount it to his peers at school - a common practice at the time. He also mentions the formative role of cinceclubes, or film societies. The generally left-leaning associations, in Cardoso Pires's words, "contributed to the political and social education of many people"
Cardoso Pires studied mathematics
at the University of Lisbon, where he published his first short narratives, but left school to join the merchant marine, from which he was discharged for disciplinary problems.
He taught Portuguese and Brazilian literature at King's College, London
.
In 1995, he suffered a stroke
, the experience of which formed the background for his final novel De Profundis, Valsa Lenta. He died of another stroke in 1998.
Order of Liberty
The Order of Liberty, or Freedom, is a Portuguese honorific civil order that distinguishes relevant services to the cause of democracy and freedom, in the defense of the values of civilization and human dignification...
, GCM was a Portuguese author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of short stories
Short Stories
Short Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
, novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s, plays
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
, and political satire
Political satire
Political satire is a significant part of satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics; it has also been used with subversive intent where political speech and dissent are forbidden by a regime, as a method of advancing political arguments where such arguments are expressly...
.
Origins and formative influences
Born in the village of São João do Peso, municipailty of Vila de ReiVila de Rei
Vila de Rei is a municipality in Portugal with a total area of 191.3 km² and a total population of 3,354 inhabitants. The municipality is composed of three parishes and is located in the district of Castelo Branco....
, Castelo Branco district. Many of the memories Cardoso Pires recounts are interesting in regard of the themes of his writing and his style as a novelist.
Although he was born in the provinces, Cardoso Pires was very much a man of Lisbon, the speech patterns and urban spaces of which can be felt in both his novels and short stories. His father was in the merchant navy
Merchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom, and describes the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency...
and his mother was.
Some of his paternal family had emigrated to Massachusetts, and this vague American connection seems to have been one of the early reasons for Cardoso Pires' receptiveness to American literary styles at a time when Portugal looked to France (and to extent Brazilian regionalism of the North East) for its narrative models.
In a documentary produced for Portuguese television, Cardoso Pires describes seeking refuge in cinemas as a youth, and the effect that had on his notion of story-telling. He explains how, after seeing a film, he would have to recount it to his peers at school - a common practice at the time. He also mentions the formative role of cinceclubes, or film societies. The generally left-leaning associations, in Cardoso Pires's words, "contributed to the political and social education of many people"
Cardoso Pires studied mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
at the University of Lisbon, where he published his first short narratives, but left school to join the merchant marine, from which he was discharged for disciplinary problems.
The writing years
After his short stint in the Portuguese Navy, Cardoso Pires started working as a journalist and devoted himself to writing. As an author, he has been perceived as being able to reconcile popularity with critical acclaim. This can be partly explained by his adoption of some of the narrative formulae of detective fiction and his controlled use of the Portuguese language, which Cardoso Pires described as "pared down to the bone, written with the edge of a knife". Cardoso Pires's fiction has often been described as cinematic. This is often a nebulous term, but in Cardoso Pires's case it has been justified by Luso-Brazilian critic Maria Lúcia Lepecki as an attempt to allow the reader to see and hear through words.He taught Portuguese and Brazilian literature at King's College, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In 1995, he suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
, the experience of which formed the background for his final novel De Profundis, Valsa Lenta. He died of another stroke in 1998.
Film adaptations of his work
- Balada da praia dos cães. dir. José Fonseca e CostaJosé Fonseca e CostaJosé Fonseca e Costa, GCIH is a Portuguese film director. He is one of the founders of the Portuguese Cinema Novo.Born in Angola, Costa worked as an assistant to Michelangelo Antonioni before becoming one of the leaders of Portugal's 'Young Cinema' in the 1960s.-Filmography:*Os Mistérios de Lisboa...
- Casino Oceano. Adaptation of the short story "Week-End". dir. Lauro AntónioLauro AntónioLauro António is a Portuguese film director.-Filmography as director :*José Viana, 50 anos de carreira *O Vestido Cor de Fogo *A Bela e a Rosa *Casino Oceano...
- O Delfim. dir. Fernando LopesFernando Lopes (filmmaker)Fernando Lopes, GCIH is a Portuguese film director.-Filmography:*98 Octanas *Lá Fora *Delfim, O aka Dauphin, Le *Cinema *Gérard, Fotógrafo *Fio do Horizonte, O...
- A Rapariga dos Fósforos. adaptation of the story "Dom Quixote, as Velhas Viúvas e a Rapariga dos Fósforos". dir. Luís Galvão Teles
- Ritual dos Pequenos Vampiros. Adaptation of the short story of the same name "Jogos de Azar". dir. Eduardo GeadaEduardo GeadaEduardo Geada is a Portuguese film director, screenwriter and professor.-generic:He graduated in Anglo-American Studies at the Faculty of Arts of Lisbon University...
Prizes attributed to the author
- Prémio Internacional União Latina, Roma, 1991
- Astrolábio de Ouro do Prémio Internacional Ultimo Novecento, Pisa, 1992
- Prémio Bordalo de Literatura da Casa da Imprensa, 1994
- Prémio Bordalo de Literatura da Casa da Imprensa, 1997
- Prémio PessoaPrémio PessoaThe Prémio Pessoa is a Portuguese award instituted in 1987 by the newspaper Expresso and the IT company Unisys. It is granted annually to the person of Portuguese nationality who during this period, and in the course of previous activity, has distinguished him or herself as a figure in scientific,...
, 1997 - Grande Prémio Vida Literária da Associação Portuguesa de Escritores, 1998
Prizes attributed to individual works
- Prémio Camilo Castelo Branco, pela Sociedade Portuguesa de Escritores, 1964 (O Hóspede de Job)
- Grande Prémio de Romance e Novela, pela Associação Portuguesa de Escritores, 1982 (Balada da Praia dos Cães)
- Prémio Especial da Associação dos Críticos do Brasil, São Paulo, 1988 (Alexandra Alpha)
- Prémio D. Diniz, da Fundação Casa de Mateus, 1997 (De Profundis, Valsa Lenta)
- Prémio da Crítica do Centro Português da Associação Internacional de Críticos Literários, 1997 (De Profundis, Valsa Lenta)