José Cardoso Pires facts for kids

José Cardoso Pires (born October 2, 1925, died October 26, 1998) was a famous Portuguese writer. He wrote many short stories, novels, plays, and even funny political stories.

Life and Career of José Cardoso Pires

Early Life and Influences

José Cardoso Pires was born in a small Portuguese village called São João do Peso. This village is close to the border with Spain. His father worked on ships, and his mother took care of their home.

Pires started studying math at the University of Lisbon. While there, he published his very first short story. Later, he joined the Portuguese Navy. However, he left the navy because of some disagreements.

The city of Lisbon was very important to his writing. He often described its streets and places in great detail in his books.

Some of Pires's family moved to the United States. This helped him learn about American writing styles. At that time, many Portuguese writers looked to France for ideas.

Pires once shared how movies helped him become a storyteller. As a boy, after watching a film, he would tell the whole story to his friends at school. He also mentioned "cineclubes," which were film clubs. He said these clubs helped many people learn about politics and society.

Publishing Success

After leaving the navy, José Cardoso Pires became a journalist. He then focused on writing books. He became known as a writer who was both popular and respected by critics.

One of his most famous books is a novel called O Delfim, published in 1968.

In 1991, he received the Latin Union Prize for Literature. This award recognized his important contributions to writing. In 1997, he wrote a book called De Profundis. This book was inspired by a serious health issue he had a few years earlier, which affected his brain. In the same year, he won the important Pessoa Prize.

Many of his books have been made into movies, including O Delfim. He also won the Prémio Bordalo de Literatura da Casa da Imprensa award twice. José Cardoso Pires was one of the most important Portuguese writers of his time.

List of Works

• Os Caminheiros e Outros Contos (1949)
• Histórias de Amor (1952)
• O Anjo Ancorado (1958)
• O Render dos Heróis (1960)
• A Cartilha do Marialva (1960)
• Jogos de Azar (1963)
• O Hóspede de Job (1963)
• O Delfim (1968)
• Gente (with Eduardo Gageiro) (1971)
• O Dinosauro Excelentíssimo (1972)
• E Agora José (1977)
• O Burro em Pé (1979)
• O Corpo-Delito na Sala de Espelhos (1980)
• A Balada de Praia dos Cães (1987)
• Alexandra Alpha (1987)
• A República dos Corvos (1988)
• A Cavalo no Diabo (1984)
• De Profundis, Valsa Lenta (1997)
• Lisboa Livro de Bordo (1997)

Film Adaptations

Many of José Cardoso Pires's stories and novels have been turned into films:

• O Delfim, directed by Fernando Lopes
• Balada da praia dos cães, directed by José Fonseca e Costa
• Casino Oceano, based on the short story "Week-End", directed by Lauro António
• O Delfim, directed by Fernando Lopes
• A Rapariga dos Fósforos, based on the story "Dom Quixote, as Velhas Viúvas e a Rapariga dos Fósforos", directed by Luís Galvão Teles
• Ritual dos Pequenos Vampiros, based on the short story "Jogos de Azar", directed by Eduardo Geada

Awards and Recognition

Awards Given to José Cardoso Pires

• Prémio Internacional União Latina, Rome, 1991
• Astrolábio de Ouro do Prémio Internacional Ultimo Novecento, Pisa, 1992
• Prémio Bordalo de Literatura da Casa da Imprensa, 1994
• Prémio Bordalo de Literatura da Casa da Imprensa, 1997
• Pessoa Prize, 1997
• Grande Prémio Vida Literária da Associação Portuguesa de Escritores, 1998

Awards for Individual Works

• Prémio Camilo Castelo Branco, by the Sociedade Portuguesa de Escritores, 1964 (for O Hóspede de Job)
• Grande Prémio de Romance e Novela, by the Associação Portuguesa de Escritores, 1982 (for Balada da Praia dos Cães)
• Prémio Especial da Associação dos Críticos do Brasil, São Paulo, 1988 (for Alexandra Alpha)
• Prémio D. Diniz, by the Fundação Casa de Mateus, 1997 (for De Profundis, Valsa Lenta)
• Prémio da Crítica do Centro Português da Associação Internacional de Críticos Literários, 1997 (for De Profundis, Valsa Lenta)

See also

In Spanish: José Cardoso Pires para niños