Deuses de Barro 

From Agustina Bessa-Luís I select some paragraphs that, incredible as it may seem, belong to a nineteen-year-old writer.

Do Porto ao Gulag (III)

The first part of this chapter (VII) is dedicated to the liberal movements that are spreading across southern Europe.

Do Porto ao Gulag (II)

Sometimes, on the coldest winter days, I like to drink this wine, mulled with a few drops of lemon. Second pause. Second gulp.

Do Porto ao Gulag

The last book published by José Milhazes is entitled Do Porto ao Gulag. In this new journey through tsarist Russia, our writer delves into the life of a Portuguese merchant and diplomat who had the vision and the courage to move from the warm Cidade Invicta to the cold lands of the north from Europe and make a brilliant career in the service of Portugal, Russia and from his own pocket.

      Assidean chant  

   I wish I could talk to my teacher about what is happening to me. It is simply that I am not able to create something that I like.

   A gift  

   Dear Fran,

   the last two works I have done are these. Both ones are from the town of my friend Antonio and his wife Carmen, whom I have known for a long time; you could say that since I got here. With the first one, in which only a tower of the castle appears, I had a question: I also painted a clothesline with clothes that appeared on one of the rooftops in the photo or did without this detail and left only the walls and roofs without plus?

   Chapel of san Francisco

   Dear Fran,

  The alarm state has already ended. I took the opportunity to go back to Carmona, which as you know is a city that has hooked me since the first time I saw it. On this occasion I have wandered through the necropolis and amphitheater neighborhood and passed by the chapel of San Francisco. I did not know this area and discovering the remains of the old convent of San Sebastián has been a pleasant surprise for me. I have also found the headquarters of an organization that cares about connecting people who need some things and others who, those same things, no longer need them. Her name has caught my attention: My Carmona Solidaria. Half English, half Spanish!

Remains of the convent of San Sebastián

   On the other hand, let us forget from today the numbers of infections and deaths and hope that the outbreaks that have to occur are not as lethal as three months ago.

   Your affectionate,

   Mary