Alves Redol facts for kids

Quick facts for kids António Alves Redol
Alves Redol, portrait by San Payo
Born	29 December 1911 Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal
Died	29 November 1969(1969-11-29) (aged 57) Lisbon, Portugal
Nationality	Portuguese
Occupation	Writer

António Alves Redol (born December 29, 1911, died November 29, 1969) was an important Portuguese writer. He was known for his "neorealist" style. This means he wrote about the real lives of ordinary people, especially those who were struggling. He showed their daily challenges and how society affected them.

Life of a Writer

Alves Redol was born in 1911 in Vila Franca de Xira, a town in Portugal. His father, Antonio Redol da Cruz, was a shopkeeper. When Alves Redol was just 15 years old, his articles started appearing in a local newspaper called Vida Ribatejana.

After finishing high school in 1927, he traveled to Portuguese Angola. He lived there for three years. His time in Angola greatly influenced how he saw the world. It also shaped the stories he would later write.

In 1936, he married Maria dos Santos Mota.

Early Writing Years (1930–1940)

Alves Redol began publishing stories in newspapers like O Diabo and Sol Nascente. In these stories, he often showed his disagreement with the government at the time, known as the Estado Novo. This government had strict rules and did not allow much freedom.

In November 1936, his short story Kangondo was published. It had an African feel, likely inspired by his time in Angola. Redol continued to write for newspapers, sharing stories about social problems in the Ribatejo region of Portugal.

However, Alves Redol became most famous for his novels, not his journalism. In 1939, he published his first book, Gaibéus. He said this book was not just art. It was a report about the lives of peasants in Ribatejo. This novel was the start of a series of books. They showed the difficult lives of farmers and fishermen in Portugal during the early 1900s. Other books in this series include Marés (1941), Avieiros (1942), and Fanga (1943).

Writing and Activism (1940–1950)

In 1943, his book Fanga was published. This was also the year his only son, António, was born.

Alves Redol's writing was special because he truly wanted to understand real-life experiences. He would meet with farm workers, like those in the rice fields near the Tagus river. He listened to their stories and learned about their lives.

In the early 1940s, he joined the Portuguese Communist Party. This group was not allowed by the government at the time. Redol was arrested in May 1944. Later, in 1945, he became involved with the Movement of Democratic Unity. This group worked against the government led by Salazar. Redol took part in campaigns for elections that were not truly fair.

In 1947, he was chosen to be a leader for the Portuguese part of International PEN. This is an organization for writers around the world. In 1948, he went to a big meeting in Poland called the World Congress of Intellectuals for Peace. This meeting was about promoting peace.

Redol published the novel Horizonte Cerrado in 1948. This was the first book in a series about the Douro region, known for making wine. The other books in this series were Os Homens e as Sombras (1951) and Vindima de Sangue (1953). This series is sometimes called the "port wine cycle." He won the Ricardo Malheiros Prize for Horizonte Cerrado.

Later Works (1950–1970)

Alves Redol continued to write many important books. Some of his later works include A Barca dos Sete Lemes (1958) and Uma Fenda na Muralha (1959). His book Barranco de Cegos (1962) is often seen as one of his best works.

A Barca dos Sete Lemes was translated into English as A Man with Seven Names. It was published in 1964.

Alves Redol passed away in Lisbon in 1969.

Main Works

Alves Redol wrote many different types of books, including novels, plays, and stories for children.

Novels

• Gaibéus (1939)
• Marés (1941)
• Avieiros (1942)
• Fanga (1943)
• Anúncio (1945)
• Porto Manso (1946)
• Horizonte Cerrado (1949)
• Os Homens e as Sombras (1951)
• Vindima de Sangue (1953)
• Olhos de Água (1954)
• A Barca dos Sete Lemes (1958)
• Uma Fenda na Muralha (1959)
• Cavalo Espantado (1960)
• Barranco de Cegos (1961)
• O Muro Branco (1966)
• Os Reinegros (1972)

Theatre

• Maria Emília (1945)
• Forja (1948)
• O Destino Morreu de Repente (1967)
• Fronteira Fechada (1972)

Short Stories

• Nasci com Passaporte de Turista (1940)
• Espólio (1943)
• Comboio das Seis (1946)
• Noite Esquecida (1959)
• Constantino Guardador de Vacas e de Sonhos (1962)
• Histórias Afluentes (1963)
• Três Contos de Dentes (1968)

Children's Literature

• A Vida Mágica da Sementinha (1956)
• A Flor Vai Ver o Mar (1968)
• A Flor Vai Pescar Num Bote (1968)
• Uma Flor Chamada Maria (1969)
• Maria Flor Abre o Livro das Surpresas (1970)

Essays

• Glória - Uma Aldeia do Ribatejo (1938)
• A França - Da Resistência à Renascença (1949)
• Cancioneiro do Ribatejo (1950)
• Ribatejo (Em Portugal Maravilhoso) (1952)
• Romanceiro Geral do Povo Português (1959)

See Also

In Spanish: Alves Redol para niños