My Summer Reading List 2025: Books with a Portuguese Theme
Portuguese Culture, History, and Literature in English and Portuguese.
Dear Reader,
For me, summer in Portugal means that Paul and I like to take a break from our busy lives and spend an hour or so a few times a week at our neighborhood beach. It’s also the time that I like to relax with an enjoyable book while soaking up the sun. For my Summer Reading post last year I found some interesting titles with a Portuguese theme, but I knew there had to be more. So, this year, I have curated a new summer reading list featuring books about Portugal, all available (except for one) in both Portuguese and English. These selections span classic epics, modern novels and poetry, and historical narratives, offering rich insights into Portuguese culture and history.
Each book is linked to Amazon.com or another bookseller only as a courtesy to my readers who may wish to learn more about the books or purchase them. I do not receive affiliate compensation for any of these links.
The Lusiads/Os Lusíadas by Luís Vaz de Camões
Why Read It: Luís Vaz de Camões, a prominent poet of the 16th century, is widely regarded as the greatest classical poet in Portuguese literature. Believed to have been born in Lisbon around 1524, he likely received a formal education, possibly at the University of Coimbra. Despite his family's modest means, Camões came from noble lineage, which enabled him to enter the court of King John III, where his literary career took root. During the 1550s, he journeyed eastward, following the same routes once sailed by Vasco da Gama.
It was likely during this period that he began composing his masterpiece, The Lusiads. Published in 1572, this epic poem—often likened to Virgil’s Aeneid—narrates Vasco da Gama’s historic voyage to India via the Cape of Good Hope. The Lusiads remains one of the most revered and influential works in the Portuguese language.
The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis/O Ano da Morte de Ricardo Reis by José Saramago
Why Read It: A 1984 novel by Portuguese author José Saramago, who later won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1998. The story follows the final year in the life of Ricardo Reis, the title character and one of the many heteronyms created by the renowned Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa.
In the novel, Ricardo Reis returns to Lisbon from Brazil after learning of Pessoa’s death. Instead of resuming his medical career, he settles into a hotel, spending his days reading newspapers and wandering the streets of Lisbon. This novel intertwines fiction and history, following one of Fernando Pessoa's heteronyms as he returns to Portugal during the rise of fascism.
Mariana by Katherine Vaz
Why Read It: This novel draws on the true story of Mariana Alcoforado, who was sent to a convent during Portugal’s seventeenth-century revolt against Spain. While there, she embarks on a passionate and all-consuming love affair with a French cavalry officer. The novel explores themes of passion and confinement.
The author, Katherine Vaz, is a Portuguese American writer.
Patterns of Portugal: A Journey Through Colors, History, Tiles & Architecture by Christine Chitnis
Why Read It: A lively journey through Portugal, showcasing more than 200 photographs that capture the essence of one of the world’s most beautiful countries.
In this stunning book, Rhode Island writer and photographer Christine Chitnis invites you to experience Portugal’s unique and timeless charm through the vibrant colors and patterns found across its countryside, coastlines, quaint towns, and bustling cities.
This collection reveals how color and design are intricately woven into Portugal’s culture, history, architecture, and traditions. Each section includes thoughtful essays that delve into the artistry of azulejos—the iconic ceramic tiles adorning much of Portugal’s buildings—the detailed embroidery of traditional lavradeira costumes, and the rich flavors of Portuguese cuisine.
The Mystery of the Sintra Road/O Mistério da Estrada de Sintra by José Maria de Eça de Queirós and Ramalho Ortigão
Why Read It: This is the first novel published by José Maria de Eça de Queirós, originally released as a newspaper serialization in 1870 and later as a book. It was co-authored with Ramalho Ortigão and is recognized as the first Portuguese detective story. The plot centers on two friends who are kidnapped on the road to Sintra by three masked men and taken to a mysterious house, where they discover a corpse. Questions quickly arise: Who was the deceased? How did he die? Was it natural causes or murder? And who was responsible or behind the crime? The novel was adapted into a film titled O Mistério da Estrada de Sintra in 2007, directed by Jorge Paixão da Costa.
The Piano Cemetery/O Cemitério dos Pianos by José Luis Peixoto
Why Read It: This novel delves into themes of family, loss, and the passage of time through the story of a Lisbon family of carpenters and piano repairmen. The narrative weaves together the lives of two generations, centering on a father’s effort to defy fate by running the Stockholm marathon, alongside the experiences of his family, especially his son. The "piano cemetery" is a place filled with discarded pianos used for spare parts and serves as both a setting and a powerful symbol of the family’s memories and challenges.
The Migrant Painter of Birds /O Vento Assobiando nas Gruas by Lídia Jorge
Why Read It: Set in a weathered farmhouse in Portugal, this novel unfolds in a place just inland enough to silence the crash of stormy Atlantic waves, yet close enough for salt-laden air to eat away at its walls. With most of her large family having long since departed this unforgiving land of sand and stone in search of work elsewhere, a young woman tries to reconstruct her history from the many, often conflicting stories she's been told. Abandoned by a charming yet unreliable father—an artist and wanderer—she is brought up by her uncle, who later marries her mother. Her only memories of her father’s fleeting visit are the sound of his footsteps echoing on the stairs to her room. His only traces are the letters he sends from distant corners of the world, always accompanied by vivid illustrations—an Indian cuckoo, a Mozambican ibis, a goose from Labrador, a West Indian hummingbird. Yearning for the father she never truly knew, she grows up determined to find him and uncover the truth behind his absence.
This lyrical novel explores themes of memory, family, and the passage of time through the story of a woman uncovering her family's past in a changing Portugal. Lídia Jorge's evocative prose paints a vivid picture of rural life and personal discovery.
And one more (only available in Portuguese)…
Enchanted History, Dreams and Feelings/História Encantada Sonhos & Sentimentos by Ione França
Our friend and neighbor, Ione França, is a poet, editor and publisher. In her latest collection of poems and short stories, she invites readers into a world where the improbable and the unimaginable unfold with ease. Within this boundless realm of imagination, readers are drawn into the lives of vivid characters—whether on Cloud Islands, wandering the Corridors of Heaven, or exploring mysterious Gardens—as they journey through moments of wonder and misadventure. Blending poetic language with elements of magical realism, this enchanting work offers a true invitation to dream.
Do you have any favorite titles with a Portuguese theme to add to my list? Leave a comment and tell me about it.
Thanks for being on this journey with me!
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Muito Obrigada!
A special Thank You to Chuck for becoming a Founding Azulejo Club Member.
Also thank you to Will for supporting my work through Buy Me a Coffee. I truly appreciate it!
Bonus post:
Recently, there has been a lot of talk amongst expats in Portugal and those considering a move to this country, regarding the possible change in Portugal’s immigration and citizenship laws. Although nothing has changed as of yet, there is a lot of misinformation going around. I would like to suggest that you read this recent post by my friend and fellow Substack writer, Nancy Whiteman. She outlines the issues in an easy-to-understand format.
Until next time…
Obrigada!
Carol.
The Portuguese by Barry Hatton. Part history, part description of the Portuguese people, culture, food. Filled with interesting and amusing anecdotes. Great book.
Can't wait. I read several of your suggestions last year, and there are some on the 2025 list that catch my eye. Thank you!