The Bard of Bahia
10 August 1912 6 August 2001 the great Brazilian writer Jorge Amado was born on August 10, 1912 on a farm in the Interior of Itabuna in the State of Bahia, in Brazil. Son of a big landowner cocoa producer (a so-called "farmer"), witnessed since childhood of violent fights that were unleashed for the possession of the land. It is memories, repeatedly reused in the writing of his works. Attracted by the literature since adolescence, it has suffered as a young rebel, both literarily and politically, choosing among other things to which the great "Bard of Bahia" has never deflected, even when the dangers were threatening (e.g., during the years of Nazi dictatorship, which, if won, could infect even the civilizations of South America). In addition, it is useful to stress that Brazil was a very backward Country Amado youth and anchored in traditions that threw their roots even in the system of slavery, however at that time recently dismantled. A country that looked suspiciously and fear any form of "subversion". Finally, the severe economic crisis and the consequent opening of borders, which caused a massive migration of all races (including Italian), wasn't that undermine the sense of security of citizens, eager for more guarantees and stability. In this world crossed by deep transformations Jorge Amado begins late teens with her first novel "the country of Carnival, the story of a young man who can't find his way in a society that refuses to deal with the problems to ignore or mask them with tricks of various kinds, including the legendary Carnival. About this first novel, the Literary Encyclopedia Garzanti writes: "here already is shaping its physiognomy of realist storyteller, tilts to a sort of romantic populism, bound to the people and the problems of Earth bahiana". Followed shortly after two novels of social commitment "Cacao" and "sweat": the first on the dramatic problem of "rented" (basically slaves used in cocoa plantations), the second on condition no less dramatic urban underclass. But the big debut that really puts to everyone's attention, even outside the world of letters, takes place in 1935 with the novel "Jubiabá", named after the protagonist, the great sorcerer negro to Bahia. Provocative novel so others ever for Brazilian mentality, due to intense narrative starring culture and characters negri (in a country whose official culture had until then denied the value of culture negra as such), as well as a love story of a black man with a white woman (absolutely taboo topic). Finally, in the background are dashed about a big strike, looked like overcoming the racial differences in the class struggle. In short, a mishmash that he broke into a one big narrative all fragile, but at the same time rooted resistances of Brazilian culture at that point the way of Jorge Amado's path, his choice of life will find in later works a series of precise confirmations while his political choices, such as joining the Communist Party, will cause many times her arrest and exile. After the second world war, in fact, forced to move away from Brazil with the ascent to the Presidency of Enrico Gaspar Dutra, Jorge Amado lived first in Paris and then, Stalin Prize winner spends three years in the Soviet Union. In 1952 it publishes in three volumes "the dungeons of freedom", the story of the struggles of the Communist Party in Brazil. Publish later other minor works about the Soviet Union. Soon after, though, here's another great breakthrough, which occurred precisely in 1956. This is the date of his departure from the Brazilian Communist Party for disagreement about the development of communism in the Soviet Union. In 1958, he returned to Brazil, everyone's surprise public "Gabriela, clove and cinnamon". A return to the past, to his homeland and the struggles of the "fazendeiros" for possession of the land; in the novel, including a shooting and riding the beautiful Gabriela loves and claims the right to love. This right to love women, this overcoming of the binomial sex-shame corny, nowadays, but at that time, in 1958, he received a provocative effect perhaps higher than that of the same "Jubiabá" twenty years earlier. A retry? Amado could not put foot to Ilhéus for a long time because of threats received for insulting the honor and respectability of the local women. Many years later, when she turns 80, the "land of Carnival" will pay tribute with a Grand feast, a giant Carnival in the old quarter of Pelourinho bahiano, so often described by the "most Bahian bahiano" bahiano. Towards the end of his life, the death of the old and fearless writer could not only be geared towards pride and satisfaction. His books, published in 52 countries and translated into 48 languages and dialects, have sold millions of copies, helping to raise awareness but also to relax and to amuse (mainly because of its "second phase", the "carefree" from "Gabriella clove and cinnamon"). The legendary Bard of Bahia passed away on August 6, 2001.