author
António Tomás Boto
1897–1959
Known for bringing unusual candor and elegance to Portuguese lyric poetry, this modernist writer became famous for work that challenged the conventions of his time. His most celebrated book, Canções, remains central to discussions of twentieth-century Portuguese literature.
1 Audiobook
Canções
by António Tomás Boto
About the author
Born in Concavada, near Abrantes, on August 17, 1897, António Botto was a Portuguese poet, short story writer, and playwright who later became closely associated with Lisbon literary life. He published early books of verse before gaining lasting attention with Canções in 1921, a work that helped define his reputation.
Botto is especially remembered for the musical, sensual quality of his poetry and for treating desire with a frankness that caused scandal in conservative circles. His writing placed him among the notable voices of Portuguese modernism, and his work drew the attention of major contemporaries, including Fernando Pessoa.
In the later part of his life, Botto moved to Brazil, where he died in Rio de Janeiro on March 16, 1959. Today he is read both for the distinctive beauty of his language and for the bold place he holds in the history of queer expression in Portuguese literature.