Ferreira de Castro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ferreira de Castro
|
|
|---|---|
.png)
Photograph from c. 1933
|
|
| Born |
José Maria Ferreira de Castro
24 May 1898 Oliveira de Azeméis, Portugal
|
| Died | 29 June 1974 (aged 76) |
| Burial place | Sintra Mountains |
| Occupation | Journalist |
|
Notable work
|
A Selva (1930) |
| Movement | Neorealism |
| Signature | |
 |
|
José Maria Ferreira de Castro (born May 24, 1898 – died June 29, 1974) was a famous Portuguese writer and journalist. He had a long career telling stories through his writing. Many people see him as one of the first authors to write about the real lives of everyday people in Portugal. He focused on stories about farmers and workers.
Ferreira de Castro was also known for standing up against the Estado Novo government, which was a strict ruling system in Portugal. Even though he often spoke out, his fame as a writer protected him from harsh punishments. He was even nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature more than once!
Contents
The Life of Ferreira de Castro
Early Life and Adventures
José Maria Ferreira de Castro was the oldest child of a poor farming family. His father passed away when José was only eight years old. To help his family, he decided to move to another country when he was just 12.
On January 7, 1911, he sailed on a ship called the Jerôme to Belém do Pará in Brazil. There, he published his very first novel, Criminoso por Ambição, in 1916.
For four years, he lived deep in the Amazon rainforest. He worked on a rubber plantation called Paraíso, near the Madeira River. After leaving the plantation, he worked many different jobs to survive. He pasted posters and even worked on Amazonian ships.
A Career in Journalism
When he returned to Portugal, Ferreira de Castro became a busy journalist. He worked as an editor for the newspaper O Século. He also directed another newspaper called O Diabo. He wrote for several magazines too, like O Domingo Ilustrado and Ilustração.
While working for O Século, he wrote exciting articles. He once spent time in a jail to understand the lives of prisoners and write about it. In 1930, he also interviewed Éamon de Valera, a leader from Sinn Fein, in Dublin.
Famous Books and Travels
In 1930, he published his most famous book, A Selva. This book brought him international fame and led to his Nobel Prize nomination. The New York Times gave it great reviews. It also helped him connect with people in Hollywood and join the French Pen Club.
Sadly, his wife, Diana de Liz, passed away around this time. He dedicated A Selva to her. After her death, Ferreira de Castro traveled to England. He became very ill but recovered with the help of a doctor. He then went to Madeira to get better. There, he wrote another novel called Eternidade (1933), which explored the idea of death.
He was also well-known for his travel books. His book A Volta ao Mundo tells the story of his travels around the world. He took this trip just before World War II began.
Later Life and Legacy
Ferreira de Castro became ill later in life. He passed away shortly after the Carnation Revolution in Portugal. This revolution brought big changes to the country, and he was very happy about it. He even marched in the first public demonstrations for International Workers' Day right after the revolution.
Following his wishes, he was buried in the beautiful Sintra Mountains. His resting place is on a winding path that leads up to the old Castle of the Moors.
See also
In Spanish: Ferreira de Castro para niños
