Stories, Memory and Belonging: An Evening with Lídia Jorge

One of Portugal’s most celebrated contemporary writers, Lídia Jorge comes to Jersey for a special evening of conversation, reflection and storytelling. Winner of the 2026 Camões Prize, her work has shaped contemporary Portuguese literature for more than four decades and has been translated into numerous languages around the world.

In conversation with Cátia Verguete (Education Attaché, Embassy of Portugal in London), Lídia Jorge will reflect on the themes that run through her work: memory, identity, community, social change and the enduring power of literature to make sense of the human experience. Drawing on her latest book, O Céu Cairá Sobre Nós, as well as a distinguished literary career, she will share insights into the writer’s craft and the role of storytelling in building understanding across cultures and generations.

Featuring contributions from local students and members of Jersey’s Portuguese community, this event celebrates literature as a space for dialogue, empathy and connection.

Questions from the audience and a book signing will follow.

To book a space please email: [email protected]

Lídia Jorge is a leading Portuguese writer of the post-Carnation Revolution generation. She made her literary debut in 1980 with the novel The Day of Wonders (O Dia dos Prodígios), but it was The Murmuring Coast (A Costa dos Murmúrios), published in 1988, that firmly established her reputation.

Among her most notable works of fiction are The Valley of Passion (O Vale da Paixão), The Wind Whistling in the Cranes (O Vento Assobiando nas Gruas), The Memorable Ones (Os Memoráveis), and, more recently, Mercy (Misericórdia).

Her books have been translated into numerous languages and have received major literary awards in Portugal and abroad, including the Albatros Prize of the Günter Grass Foundation, the FIL Literature Prize in Romance Languages (Guadalajara), the 2023 Prix Médicis Étranger, the Pessoa Prize (2025), and the Camões Prize (2026).
The Murmuring Coast and The Wind Whistling in the Cranes were adapted for the screen by Margarida Cardoso and Jeanne Waltz, respectively.

Lídia Jorge is also a regular contributor to leading publications such as Jornal de Letras, Público, and El País.