Sibila, a 1954 novel received with enthusiasm by critics, becomes the starting point for an extensive work focused on universal themes simultaneously part of the strands of Portuguese nationalism and regionalism. En 2004 recibió el galardón literario más importante en lengua portuguesa, el Premio Camôes.Īgustina Bessa-Luís is one of Portugal's most significant modern and contemporary literature revelations. Sus numerosos libros le han valido las más importantes distinciones, como la de Santiago da Espada (1980), la Medalla de Honor de la Ciudad de Oporto (1988) o el grado de Oficial de la Orden de las Artes y las Letras del gobierno francés (1989). Es miembro de la Academia Europea de las Ciencias, las Artes y las Letras de París, de la Academia Brasileña de las Letras y de la Academia de las Ciencias de Lisboa. Her novel As Fúrias was adapted to the theatre by Filipe La Féria.Īt the age of 81, Agustina Bessa-Luís received the Camões Award, considered the most important portuguese award.Īgustina Bessa-Luís nació en Vila Meã (Amarante, Portugal) en 1922, de madre española y padre portugués. Various works have been translated in various countries and some were adapted to the cinema, such as Francisca, Vale Abraão and As Terras de Risco by Manoel de Oliveira. She is a member of the Academie Européenne des Sciences, des Arts et des Lettres in Paris, of the Academia Brasileira de Letras and the Academia das Ciências de Lisboa, being also recognized at Ordem de Sant'Iago da Espada (1980), Medalha de Honra da Cidade do Porto (1988) and degree of 'Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres', given by the French government (1989). Between 19 she was the director of D.Maria II Theatre in Lisbon and a member of the Alta Autoridade para a Comunicação Social.

In 1958, she gave her first steps in theatre, writing the play O inseparável.īetween 19 she was the director of the diary O Primeiro de Janeiro in Oporto. In 1952 her talent was recognized with the award Delfim de Guimarães, for her book Sibila, which also received the award Eça de Queirós the next year.

She started writing at the age of 16 and in 1950 she published her first novel, Mundo Fechado. She married Alberto Oliveira Luís in 1945 and after 1948 she moved to Oporto. She lived her childhood and teenagehood in the region of Douro, Minho and then Coimbra in 1948. Her father's family was from the north of Portugal and her mother was Spanish. Agustina Bessa-Luís was born in Vila Meã (Amarante) in 1922.

A Sibila by Agustina Bessa-Luís