Thank you so much, Jeannine, and welcome to Our Portugal Journey.
I’m especially grateful for these additional recommendations, and I love the idea of Journey to Portugal as a traveling companion through the country. That feels very much in the spirit of this annual list. I’m also happy to have Hunting Midnight on my radar now.
And thank you as well for mentioning Rosebud Bookshop in Porto. I am familiar with it. Independent English-language bookshops deserve all the love they can get. I’m actually working on a “Books in English in Portugal” article and have included Rosebud.
I’m so glad you’re here, and I look forward to discovering more of your work. - CW
In addition to my novels 'The Filigree Master's Apprentice' (a glimpse of late 19th-century Porto) and 'Rossio Square N°. 59', which takes place in tumultuous Lisbon during WWII (which I see have already been recommended -- thank you, Lynn), I highly recommend 'Hunting Midnight' by Richard Zimler, a novel which begins in Porto in the early 1800s, and José Saramago's 'Journey to Portugal,' a book of non-fiction originally published in 1990, which is my companion whenever I travel around the country. All can be bought online or at the English-language Rosebud Bookshop in Porto. And I'm looking forward to discovering more good reads when you post your next list, Carol.
The Librarians of Lisbon by Suzanne Nelson is a nice light read - “A WW II story of love and espionage”. It features two female protagonists from the U.S. who have enlisted to help save books in Lisbon who get involved in much more. It’s available at FNAC and it seems at other booksellers in Portugal. In the U.S. you can purchase it through bookshop.org.
Good thing I checked out your previous lists, since all my suggestions were already there, including “Lisbon: War in the Shadows of the City of Light, 1939-45.” I happened to buy this just as a Portuguese television series set during that time, “The Spy,” became available in the US. The book happened to provide essential context for understanding the series – though I wonder if the book was kinder to Salazar than he deserved. I thought A Small Death in Lisbon, which also takes place, in part, during this time, was excellent. And I second the comment of the reader who recommended Chris Pavone’s novel “Two Nights in Lisbon”
Yes, Trish. You can access the last 2 Summer Reading lists on Our Portugal Journey: https://www.ourportugaljourney.com/ In the Navigation bar at the top, select “ Start Here & Explore” and scroll down to the section, Culture & Curiosities — Portugal Through a Different Lens.
Links to the Summer Reading Lists are towards the end of that section.Enjoy! - CW
Hi Carole. A local American/Portuguese writer, Jeannine Johnson Maia, has written 2 lovely, well received books based in Portugal. They are both published in Portuguese and English. One is set during WWII in Lisbon and the other in Porto in 1877. The first is called Rossio Square N.°59 and the other one is O Rapaz do Douro in Portuguese and The Filigree Master's Apprentice in English. They can be purchased locally here in Portugal in Portuguese or ordered online in English. I recommend them both.
Lynn-Marie - Thanks for your comment and for your book recommendations. I love it that this is from a local American/Portuguese writer. I will be sure to take a look. - CW
Thank you so much, Jeannine, and welcome to Our Portugal Journey.
I’m especially grateful for these additional recommendations, and I love the idea of Journey to Portugal as a traveling companion through the country. That feels very much in the spirit of this annual list. I’m also happy to have Hunting Midnight on my radar now.
And thank you as well for mentioning Rosebud Bookshop in Porto. I am familiar with it. Independent English-language bookshops deserve all the love they can get. I’m actually working on a “Books in English in Portugal” article and have included Rosebud.
I’m so glad you’re here, and I look forward to discovering more of your work. - CW
In addition to my novels 'The Filigree Master's Apprentice' (a glimpse of late 19th-century Porto) and 'Rossio Square N°. 59', which takes place in tumultuous Lisbon during WWII (which I see have already been recommended -- thank you, Lynn), I highly recommend 'Hunting Midnight' by Richard Zimler, a novel which begins in Porto in the early 1800s, and José Saramago's 'Journey to Portugal,' a book of non-fiction originally published in 1990, which is my companion whenever I travel around the country. All can be bought online or at the English-language Rosebud Bookshop in Porto. And I'm looking forward to discovering more good reads when you post your next list, Carol.
The Librarians of Lisbon by Suzanne Nelson is a nice light read - “A WW II story of love and espionage”. It features two female protagonists from the U.S. who have enlisted to help save books in Lisbon who get involved in much more. It’s available at FNAC and it seems at other booksellers in Portugal. In the U.S. you can purchase it through bookshop.org.
Thank you for the recommendation Steph! - CW
This is going to be so helpful
The 2026 list is starting to shape up nicely. Stay tuned… - CW
I enjoy learning about your reading lists and have now been looking at your prior ones. Some great suggestions in them.
Thank you! It’s always nice to know that a subscriber finds value in Our Portugal Journey! The 2026 edition will be out in mid-June. - CW
Good thing I checked out your previous lists, since all my suggestions were already there, including “Lisbon: War in the Shadows of the City of Light, 1939-45.” I happened to buy this just as a Portuguese television series set during that time, “The Spy,” became available in the US. The book happened to provide essential context for understanding the series – though I wonder if the book was kinder to Salazar than he deserved. I thought A Small Death in Lisbon, which also takes place, in part, during this time, was excellent. And I second the comment of the reader who recommended Chris Pavone’s novel “Two Nights in Lisbon”
I read and enjoyed all of these!
Can i access last summer's list?
Yes, Trish. You can access the last 2 Summer Reading lists on Our Portugal Journey: https://www.ourportugaljourney.com/ In the Navigation bar at the top, select “ Start Here & Explore” and scroll down to the section, Culture & Curiosities — Portugal Through a Different Lens.
Links to the Summer Reading Lists are towards the end of that section.Enjoy! - CW
I look forward to this list!
Hi Carole. A local American/Portuguese writer, Jeannine Johnson Maia, has written 2 lovely, well received books based in Portugal. They are both published in Portuguese and English. One is set during WWII in Lisbon and the other in Porto in 1877. The first is called Rossio Square N.°59 and the other one is O Rapaz do Douro in Portuguese and The Filigree Master's Apprentice in English. They can be purchased locally here in Portugal in Portuguese or ordered online in English. I recommend them both.
Lynn-Marie - Thanks for your comment and for your book recommendations. I love it that this is from a local American/Portuguese writer. I will be sure to take a look. - CW