If you are considering a move to Portugal, get ready for your new life by adding books about or set in the country to your reading list.
Whether you are relocating to Portugal for work, retiring there, or simply buying a vacation home in Europe’s “best-kept secret”, you can learn more about the country’s history, culture, and people of Portugal by diving into some of these outstanding works of both fiction and non-fiction.
Non-Fiction Recommendations
You could fill a library with all the books written about Portugal’s rich history, politics, and cultural institutions. But these books can quickly expand your knowledge about your new home.
Portugal: A Companion History — Jose Hermano Saraiva’s milestone work, published in 1997, offers an easy to read primer on the country’s history and culture, including many maps, illustrations, and photos.
The First Global Village — First published in 2002 by Martin Page, this book offers an in-depth look at Portugal’s deep impact on world history throughout the centuries.
Prince Henry the Navigator: A Life — Peter Russel’s 2000 book examines the story of one of Portugal’s most influential explorers who helped launch the Age of Discovery.
Fiction Recommendations
Last Train to Lisbon — Pascal Mercier’s 2004 gripping novel, which tells the story of a Portuguese doctor during an era of political turmoil, was turned into a movie in 2013.
The Crimes of Father Amaro — Written by Jose Maria Eca De Queiros in 1875, this classic of Portuguese literature stands up to the test of time.
Balthasar and Blimunda — Jose Saramago’s 1998 novel tells a stirring love story set against the background of 18th Century Portugal.
Pereira Declares: A Testimony — Antonio Tabuccchi wrote this novel in 1997, but the story of a cautious newspaper editor caught up in the political drama of Portugal in the 1930s still resonates with today’s readers. This bestseller was later turned into a popular film.
Add these books to your holiday wish list and get ready to be thrilled and entertained by Portugal’s richest stories.
