How beautiful is this bitch of a life

“These chronicles of yours had already passed through my life when they appeared in the newspapers, and even more so when they were collected. Returning to them means starting by returning to your story with Maria João. The first page of this book, as you well know, is the work of a master, and not even a hint of waning in its impetus or genius can be found. It is a perfect page that condenses everything that defines you: a fierce grace even in the face of what silences us. A disconcerting thought because it is sincere, in all the splendour of fury and vulnerability, as every word should be written when one wants to write Literature. It is not with trivial things that you command attention. You have always been occupied with a disarming critique of the commonplace. You invariably followed the path of the most genuine wound, without fear of speaking out. Your only fear was that there might be no way out. In short, you never lacked courage.”

I have marvelled at you a thousand times. I was a thousand times more motivated in the face of so many hardships because I read you. A thousand times I chose not to die because you made it worth taking one more risk in love and offering one more smile. I am so comfortable saying this. You owe me nothing, you expect nothing from me. (…) And I never expected anything from you but a new book, a new chronicle, perhaps a return to the directorship of a magazine? (…) You have been incredibly more important to a thousand boys and girls like me than you imagine. You are incredibly more important than you imagine.”

From the preface by Valter Hugo Mãe

Miguel Esteves Cardoso (b. 1955) is a writer, columnist, and an influential figure in contemporary Portuguese culture. With a background in Economics and a long career in journalism and communications, he became known for his singular voice, capable of combining humour, lucidity, and a precise observation of everyday life. His work—which includes books such as A Causa das Coisas, Os Meus Problemas and O Amor é Fodido—has evolved over the decades into a more intimate and refined style, in which reflection on love and time takes centre stage.