The PortuGOAL book section is back with a prize on offer that will go down well with anybody who holds Portugal dear to their heart.
In the newest edition of the adventures of Asterix and Obelix, the two heroes from Gaul fighting against Roman occupation, the duo set off on a mission to Lusitania (Portugal) to free a prisoner in Olisipo (Lisbon), who was wrongly accused of trying to poison Caesar with his famous fish sauce.
As in all of Asterix’s travels, the comic strip is packed with a unique cocktail of adventure, humour and affectionately caricatured cultural references. Author Fabcaro and illustrator Didier Conrad have done a wonderful job incorporating Portuguese mannerisms and historical reference points in a light-hearted manner that will delight Lusophiles.
As explained in the official press release for the book:
Try to image a feeling that combines nostalgia with a bit of sadness but also a touch of poetry, elegance, and hopefulness. Then add a smidge of fado and a pinch of sunsets over the Atlantic… and you’ll have the famous “saudade”, a typically Portuguese and completely untranslatable word. You have to experience it to understand it. In fact, the Portuguese have made it a way of life: you can be melancholy but still keep smiling, and always live in hope that tomorrow will be an even more beautiful day to regret.
Add in historical nods ranging from Viriato, the leader of the Lusitanian resistance against the invading Romans, to the 1974 revolution that overthrew half a century of dictatorship, with a generous splash of references to the national dish bacalhau (cod), wine and of course pasteis de nata (custard tarts) and the end result is a fun book that will bring enjoyment to children and adults alike.
To quote again from the press release:
Melancholy doesn’t stop the Lusitanians from being convivial people who know how to enjoy themselves. Not at all! Their hospitality is an absolute institution, historically and culturally. Back in antiquity, Roman chroniclers were already commenting on the warm welcome offered by these people in the west of the Iberian Peninsula. And the tradition continues to this day: hospitality isn’t just a word in Portugal, it’s a whole way of life!
Contest to win the book
To win a copy of the English-language version of the book, answer the following question.
What was the name of Lisbon while it was part of the Roman Empire?
For a chance to win the book, send the answer to the above question to
