Fernando Namora
Fernando Namora was a notable Portuguese writer and physician, born in 1919 in Condeixa, Portugal. He grew up in the countryside, where his early life experiences and interactions with rural communities influenced his literary work. After completing his education, which included time at Colégio Camões and medical school, he became a physician while also pursuing a writing career. Namora's literary debut came in 1938 with the novel "As sete partidas do mundo," drawing from his boarding school experiences. His subsequent works often reflected his medical practice and the lives of the impoverished, particularly during his time in Tinalhas, where he served as a local doctor.
Throughout his career, Namora published over thirty books, including novels, poetry, essays, and an autobiography, with themes encompassing love, politics, and societal issues. His later works were influenced by the post-World War II landscape and his experiences at the Lisbon Cancer Institute. Namora's contributions to literature and medicine left a lasting impact, with notable titles such as "O homem disfarçado" and "Cidade solitária" among his repertoire. He passed away in 1989, shortly after releasing his memoir, "Autobiografia."
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Subject Terms
Fernando Namora
Writer
- Born: April 15, 1919
- Birthplace: Condeixa, Portugal
- Died: January 31, 1989
- Place of death: Lisbon, Portugal
Biography
Fernando Namora was born in Condeixa, Portugal, in 1919. Growing up in the countryside, Namora spent a great deal of time taking long walks and befriending rural characters. Namora also showed an aptitude for art and design and spent time with his pharmacist uncle who shared prose and classical music with him. At the age of ten, Namora was enrolled at the Colégio Camões in Coimbra, where he studied for two years. He then attended Liceu Camões in Lisbon before returning to his home county of Coimbra to complete his secondary education. He subsequently attended an engineering college and later medical school. In 1940, Namora married Arminda Bragaça de Miranda, who tragically died that same year after giving birth to their daughter. Namora earned his medical degree two years later and became a physican.
In addition to his medical practice, Namora also wrote books. He published his first novel, As sete partidas do mundo, based on his experiences at boarding school, in 1938. In 1943, Namora released his second novel, Fogo na noite escura, which explored love and politics. That same year Namora moved to the rural village of Tinalhas, where he resumed his youthful habit of long walks and interacting with the poverty-stricken local residents. He opened a medical practice to serve the poor, bringing him into contact with many interesting characters. His experiences as a doctor and his friendships in Tinalhas inspired five novels, including Casa da Malta and volumes one and two of Retalhos da vida de um médico.
In 1944, Namora married his second wife, Isaura de Campos Mendonça, with whom he had one child. In the early 1950’s, Namora relocated to Lisbon, where he worked at the Lisbon Cancer Institute. Namora began a new phase of writing influenced by post-World War II society and his work at the cancer institute. Three novels emerged from this period of his life: O homem disfarçado, Cidade solitária, and Domingo à tarde. Namora published more than thirty books during his lifetime, including two volumes of poetry, collections of essays and articles, an autobiography, and numerous works of highly praised fiction. He died in 1989, two years after the publication of his memoir, Autobiografia.