Augusto Abelaira
Augusto Abelaira was a prominent Portuguese writer and journalist, known for his impactful romance novels and contributions to journalism during the late twentieth century. Born Augusto José de Freitas Abelaira in the early 1900s, he received degrees in history and philosophy, which influenced his literary career. Abelaira's writing journey began with his first published book, "A cidade das flores" (City of the Flowers), which garnered attention and acclaim. Throughout his career, he wrote for several notable publications, including The Century and Daily Popular, and took on roles as a director and editor for various literary magazines.
His literary excellence was recognized with multiple awards, such as the Prémio Ricardo Malheiros for "As boas intenções" (Good Intentions) and the Prémio Cidade de Lisboa for his works in the 1960s. Despite facing significant health challenges, including a terminal illness that affected his eyesight, Abelaira persevered to revise his final book, which was published posthumously. He passed away in early 21st century Lisbon after a prolonged illness, leaving behind a legacy as a respected figure in Portuguese literature and journalism. Abelaira's work continues to resonate, reflecting his contributions to the cultural landscape of Portugal.
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Augusto Abelaira
Writer
- Born: March 18, 1926
- Birthplace: Ançã, Cantanhede, Portugal
- Died: July 4, 2003
- Place of death: Lisbon, Portugal
Biography
Augusto Abelaira was born in Portugal in the early twentieth century, christened Augusto José de Freitas Abelaira. Abelaira was acclaimed in the later twentieth century for his romance novels and famous for his journalistic writings and teachings. He had one son, Sílvia Abelaira, a psychologist who set up practice in Lisbon.
Abelaira was granted a degree in history and philosophy, and spent some time in the position of professor. He later worked as a journalist, writing for The Century, The Periodical, Daily Popular, and The Periodical of Letters and directing and editing New Seara and World-Wide Life. His first published book was A cidade das flores (city of the flowers), and accolades for his work soon followed. He was awarded the Prémio Ricardo Malheiros by the Academia das Ciências for As boas intenções (good intentions), the Prémio Cidade de Lisboa for two of his other novels later in 1960’s and the Prémio City of Lisbon for Sem tecto entre ruínas (without tecto between ruins).
Abelaira raced a terminal illness to complete the revisions of his final book, but was unable to do so when his eyesight failed him. The book was published posthumously. Abelaira died in the early twenty-first century in Lisbon after a prolonged illness.