In this new edition of the Reading Club, participants will explore texts that challenge their understanding of reality. Over four meetings, writer Altair Martins leads an intriguing journey through various unusual and fantastic works that captivate minds regarding situations defying reason and the seeming normality of existence.
Concluding this beautiful session of the Reading Club, they will read the work of Cearan author Socorro Acioli, featuring the beloved Saint Anthony, the matchmaker saint himself. The conception of the book carries its own fascinating story, stemming from the author's participation in a workshop with Gabriel García Márquez. Join them in reading A Cabeça do Santo (Companhia das Letras – 176 pages) on December 7th at 4 PM.
A Cabeça do Santo by Socorro Acioli is a contemporary novel that blends magical realism with the richness of northeastern popular culture. Published in 2014, the story follows Samuel, a young man on a quest to fulfill a promise to his deceased mother to find the father he never knew. Upon arriving in Candeia, a small village in Ceará, Samuel seeks shelter in an enormous abandoned saint's head and, surprisingly, begins to hear voices of women praying for husbands. The mystery surrounding these voices and their connection to local history drives a plot full of twists, merging the sacred and the profane. Through engaging writing rich in symbolism, Socorro Acioli weaves a captivating narrative that tackles themes of faith, love, destiny, and the power of popular traditions.
See below the titles of this special edition of the Reading Club and ensure your registration. The activity will take place in person, with limited spots available.
Fees per meeting: R$ 39.60 for full price and R$ 19.80 for half-price.
*Registration fees do not include the books.
*While prior reading of the titles is recommended for participation, it is not mandatory.
Meet the Facilitator:
Altair Martins is a writer and professor with a doctorate in Literature from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. His experience encompasses creative writing, literary creation, and Brazilian literature. As a writer, he has been a finalist for the Jabuti Prize four times and has published several works, including "A parede no escuro" (2008), winner of the São Paulo Literature Prize; "Enquanto água" (2012), awarded the Moacyr Scliar Prize; and "Os donos do inverno" (2019). He teaches Creative Writing and Literature at PUC/RS. His works have been published in Portugal, Italy, France, Argentina, and Spain.
This program is realized by Instituto Ling and the Ministry of Culture/Federal Government, sponsored by Crown Embalagens.
This project is part of the National Program for Cultural Support - Pronac 233474, and it offers special conditions for democratization of access and inclusion of individuals with specific disabilities:
- Number of full-price tickets sold: 10
- Number of half-price tickets sold: 10
*Under the Half-price Law students, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and young people aged 15 to 29 from verified vulnerable backgrounds are entitled to half-price tickets.
- Access democratization: 30% of the tickets are reserved for free distribution for educational purposes to public school teachers.
- Accessibility: interpreters for the hearing impaired are available whenever a participant requires it.
For more information, please write to instituto.ling@institutoling.org.br