Wednesday 9 April 2008

... swimming in Brazilian literature

We've started working with literature with the kids, to prepare for the National 'Day of the book' on the 18th April. It's been fun - and hard work for me - looking for interesting texts and books to use. I didn't know much about Brazilian literature, I now know a little bit more.... Clarice Lispector, Cecilia Meireles, Fernando Caio De Abreu, Carlos Drummond de Andrade: I am discovering amazing writers and really interesting literature. I particularly like the 'chronicles' - cronicas - typically Brazilian short texts originally destined for newspapers. A bit like clever and well written columns. They can be commentaries on recent events, or just reflexions, on details, the minute and inconsequential. And so some of them can be very poetic, like A arte de ser feliz (The art of being happy) by Cecilia Meireles, which I am studying with a group of 13-year olds...

1 comment:

dorean paxorales said...

You must read Nelson Rodrigues, if you haven't already. Brilliant shorties, some taken to tv and in a DVD called "A vida como ela é".

Big bisou