Agustina Bessa-Luís once remarked that “Porto is not a place; it is a feeling,” a sentiment often expressed through words. In this spirit, João Carlos Brito, the author of ‘Falar à Moda do Porto’, has curated an affectionate inventory of Porto titled ‘Dicionário Sentimental do Porto’.
According to the writer, the book is aimed at “those who do not separate the language from memory, nor speech from feeling,” and it is set to be unveiled at 6 p.m. on Friday, August 22, at the Porto Book Fair.
Published by Ideias de Ler, the ‘Dicionário Sentimental do Porto’ reflects a city where “words are not neutral: they have color, weight, and sometimes even an owner.”
It comprises expressions, memories, characters, traditions, and a lexicon where each entry carries the depth of an entire world.
Organized from A to Z, the ‘Dicionário Sentimental do Porto’ is neither an erudite exercise nor an ethnographic record in the cold sense of the term. Instead, it delves into the vibrant oral traditions, the echoes of local taverns, the laughter of downtown, the silences between sips of espresso, and the distinct pronunciation that remains unchanged by time or distance.
In it coexist the “carago” and “bitaite”, the “fino” and “bacalhau à Gomes de Sá”, alongside prominent literary figures and the anonymous characters who make the city a constantly narrated place.
It embraces legend, chronicles, humor, and the unexpected sweetness of certain expressions which, though originating from ancient times, continue to move the people of Porto and all those who love the city.
João Carlos Brito is known for his novels and various projects related to writing and the Portuguese language. His recent book ‘Falar à Moda do Porto’ garnered considerable praise from both the public and critics, particularly for its celebration of the way people speak in Portugal’s largest northern city.
Porto Book Fair Begins This Friday
The Porto Book Fair will return to the Crystal Palace Gardens from Friday, August 22, to September 7, in an edition paying tribute to musician and writer Sérgio Godinho, leaving the artist, as he admitted in a recent interview, “pleased” to have it happen in his city.
Over 17 days, the Crystal Palace Gardens will host 113 publishers, booksellers, and antique bookstores spread across 130 pavilions and will feature mural interventions, concerts, games, book presentations, film screenings, discussions, exhibitions, and workshops for children and young adults, as outlined in the available schedule.
On the first day, there will be a mural intervention by illustrator Mariana, the miserable, titled ‘A Minhoca’, inspired by the song ‘Lá Isso É’ (1978) by Sérgio Godinho.
The opening concert, ‘E o coração que o conte/quantas vezes já bateu pra nada’, curated by Tiago Andrade and Bruno Rocha, will take place at the Acoustic Shell later in the day.
In the evening, as part of the film programming, the Almeida Garrett Library Auditorium will present ‘Estilhaços’, based on a performance by Adolfo Luxúria Canibal.
