JORGE AMADO: A NOVELIST BIG ON STEREOTYPING BRAZILIANS

Jorge Amado is one of the best known Brazilian authors and the most translated one. His 

novels are still considered as a portrait of Brazil in the sense that they show not only the hard life of people from Bahia, but also they emphasize most of the stereotypes attributed to Brazilians. His engagement with the Brazilian literary movement called Regionalism led him to make his native land Bahia the scenery for his fiction and to incorporate in his works words closely related to the local speech. Such characteristics made Jorge Amado´s novels a very difficult work to be translated, since most of the local vocabulary, specially those related to religion, nature, social relationships and sensations or descriptions associated with the human body, seem to have no equivalence in other languages and consequently in other cultures.  

Although Brazil is the world's largest Roman Catholic nation, Amado wrote extensively 

and respectfully of the deities and rites of Candomblé, an African-derived religion 

widely practiced in Brazil. In terms of cultural importance, Amado’s works seem to be the entrance door to the Brazilian culture. 

Source:  by Regina Helena M. A. CORRÊA

Last year, to celebrate the centenary of his birth, there were events taking place throughout Brazil and also in cities like London, Paris, Salamanca and Lisbon.

Following are some of his works:

• The Country of Carnival (O País do Carnaval, 1931)
• Cacau (1933)
• Sweat (Suor, 1934)
• Jubiabá (1935)
• Sea of Death (Mar Morto, 1936)
• Captains of the Sands (Capitães da Areia, 1937)
• The Knight of Hope (Vida de Luis Carlos Prestes or O Cavaleiro da Esperança, 1942)
• The Violent Land (Terras do Sem Fim, 1943)
• The Golden Harvest (São Jorge dos Ilhéus, 1944)
• Red Field (Seara Vermelha, 1946)
• The Bowels of Liberty trilogy (Os Subterrâneos da Liberdade, 1954)
• Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon (Gabriela, Cravo e Canela, 1958)
• The Two Deaths of Quincas Wateryell (A Morte e a Morte de Quincas Berro Dágua, 1959)
• Home Is the Sailor (Os Velhos Marinheiros ou o Capitão de Longo Curso, 1961)
• Ogum's Compadre (O compadre de Ogum, 1964)
• Shepherds of the Night (Os Pastores da Noite, 1964)
• Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos, 1966)
• Tent of Miracles (Tenda dos Milagres, 1969)
• Tereza Batista: Home from the Wars (Teresa Batista Cansada da Guerra, 1972)
• Tieta (Tieta do Agreste, 1977)
• Pen, Sword, Camisole (Farda Fardão Camisola de Dormir, 1979)
• Showdown (Tocaia Grande, 1984)
• The War of the Saints (O Sumiço da Santa, 1988)
• Coasting (Navegação de Cabotagem, 1992)
• The Discovery of America by the Turks (A Descoberta da América pelos Turcos, 1994)

If you are in Salvador, Bahia, it is worth visiting the JORGE AMADO FOUNDATION

ARE YOU A CHOCOLATE ADDICT?

The Salon du Chocolat, the world’s largest event dedicated to chocolate,  is the not-to-be-missed event for those who share a passion for this exceptional product. It is a link between those who grow cocoa and those who consume chocolate. The Salon launched its first Latin American edition in Salvador, Bahia from 6th to 8th July, 2012, at Bahia Convention Center.  After Paris, New York, Tokyo and 6 other Japanese cities, Moscow, Shanghai, Cairo, Bologna and Zurich, the Salon settled in Brazil, the 4th largest consumer of chocolate in the world and the 5th producer of cocoa. The Salon is a true link between cocoa-producing countries, chocolatiers and consumers. It hosted over 60 national and international participants in Salvador.

The visitors had the opportunity to meet the greatest chocolatiers from Brazil and all over the world and enjoy outstanding activities and entertainment, such as tastings, demonstrations of recipes, conferences, children’s workshops, exhibitions, concerts and events to pay tribute to Jorge Amado. Last but not least, the famous and gourmand Chocolate Fashion Show featured dresses out of chocolate on the theme of rainforest Mata Atlântica.

Some exquisite flavors were put to tasting, such as the salty chocolate, which is to be savoured with whisky. Others had a filling of candies made with typical flowers of the region. Others, still, presented fillings of candies spiced with green tea, ginger and sweet lime. 

One of the hot stands displayed the "chocolate jewels" by the Fada dos Chocolates (Chocolate Fairy) from Campo dos Goytacazes, in Rio de Janeiro. They are totally handmade and yes, they are strikingly beautiful. Some have 3-karat gold details and are sold for $6 a piece.

Another highlight of the Salon was the popping chocolate, the Pétillant. "It feels like having a glass of champagne", according to  Bouillet´s stand rep, Aline Santana.

Also, at Bouillet´s booth, a stand-alone success, the chocolate lipstick. It was totally sold out on the first day of the exhibit. 

OUTSTANDING CHOCOLATE DESTINATIONS