Pessoa: An Experimental Life

It is a long book, about a thousand pages but I read it in a week. I did not know much about Fernando Pessoa before this but I do know, and he is a fascinating man. I liked that the book was placed in context and we were given the political and cultural life of Durban and Lisbon which are the only two places he lived.At the beginning and at the end are useful appendices, not least the details of his heteronyms (I kept a book mark at these pages and frequently returned to them).It is an honest book, it shows the flaws in the man, his idiosyncrasies, but clearly the author Richard Zenith is very immersed in the man and his work. The writing is good!

Only halfway through but it is addictive. If you like Pessoa's poetry and biographies in general then you will enjoy this.

Really comprehensive review of Fernando Pessoa’s life! Beautifully written

Best biography of Fernando Pessoa Everton done

torn cover, didn’t have time to return before xmas

Apart from too many ‘americanisms’ which are really slang, someone should have told the author that to describe a female relative of the subject as ‘spunky’ has unfortunate connotations in British English but even in America it’s a neologism. He describes Britain as Portugal’s oldest ally, which is true, but then goes on to state that Portugal had to keep in line with Britain and do her bidding which is not. The “ so called Pax Britannica” as he calls it was in decline by late 19th century. Yet the It’s odd that all references to the USA are positive and how it was such a ‘go ahead’ country but since he’s talking about the 1880’s is distinctly untrue, that came over twenty years later. This wouldn’t matter but after a while it’s annoying and makes one doubt what other of his assertions are untrue. A common fault with bad biographies is to describe the weather over a hundred years ago: is the author guessing or has he checked weather reports in local newspapers and does it matter, but when he describes people putting umbrellas up or sheltering under shop awnings on a certain day disbelief hovers. I’m afraid these maybe small niggles are spoiling the whole thing and whether I can trust it.