Summary of Key Points
The 80-year-old Portuguese author Lídia Jorge, a winner of the Camões Prize and a frontrunner for the Nobel Prize in Literature, attended the Shanghai Book Fair amidst the typhoon “Baihaidun” to share her literary works and life experiences with readers. Her novel *Green Grasshoppers* is set against the backdrop of the African colonial wars, using the stories of ordinary people to reveal historical truths. *The Cuckoo Is So Small, So Proud When It Announces Spring’s Arrival* is inspired by her mother’s experiences in a nursing home, conveying messages of hope for life and warmth of human nature. The response from readers was overwhelming; some even traveled from Qingdao despite the typhoon, and the books sold out on the spot. She will also go to Beijing to discuss with author Tan Bao, whose works focus on historical, humanitarian, and contemporary issues, emphasizing that the value of literature lies in “teaching us what not to do.”
Detailed Analysis
1. The “Star-Studded” Scene at the Shanghai Book Fair: Readers Braving the Typhoon for a Book Sale
Lídia Jorge’s meeting in Shanghai was filled with warmth. Despite being 80 years old, she wore a pink dress and interacted with readers with great energy. The typhoon “Baihaidun” did not dampen the enthusiasm of the audience—readers from Qingdao took the train early in the morning (their original flight had been canceled due to the typhoon) and quickly bought out all copies of *Green Grasshoppers* and *The Cuckoo Is So Small, So Proud When It Announces Spring’s Arrival*. Long queues formed for autographs. She even apologized for not speaking Chinese, but laughed like a child during the photoshoots. Such a passionate response was due to both the impact of her works and her own sincerity and approachability.
2. *Green Grasshoppers*: Using Ordinary Stories to Unveil the Cruel Truths of Colonial Wars
*Green Grasshoppers* is Jorge’s signature work, inspired by her personal experiences in Africa. In the 1960s and 1970s, Portugal waged a 13-year “meaningless war” in Africa to maintain colonial rule. As a university student at the time, her boyfriend (an air force officer) was injured there, and she flew to marry him, witnessing the confusion, death, and social disorder among the soldiers firsthand.
The novel begins with a group wedding on the beach and uses the bride’s memories to reveal the realities of colonial times—not the official statistics, but the real lives of ordinary soldiers’ wives. For example, she witnessed locals cooking green grasshoppers as a feast in Mozambique; when a fellow traveler dismissed this practice as “barbaric,” she disagreed, which became the starting point for her story. She aims to show readers the absurdity and suffering of colonial wars through these individual stories.
3. *The Cuckoo Is So Small, So Proud When It Announces Spring’s Arrival*: The Light of Life in a Nursing Home, a “Writing Gift” from Her Mother
*The Cuckoo Is So Small, So Proud When It Announces Spring’s Arrival* is inspired by Jorge’s mother. Her mother moved into a nursing home in her 80s and left behind 38 hours of recordings, diaries, and notes, which she considers a “gift from her mother.” The novel’s protagonist, Mrs. Alberti, remains vibrant at 91 years old in the nursing home—helping young girls protest injustice, chatting with close friends about first loves, and seeing a pregnant girl’s belly through the window during the pandemic as a symbol of hope.
Jorge wants to convey that nursing homes are not just places of illness and death; they also represent love, dignity, and the continuation of life. For instance, she never saw her mother again after the nursing home was closed during the pandemic, but Mrs. Alberti in her book reminds readers that kindness, compassion, and care are still important.
4. The “Anti-Encouragement” Role of Literature: Not to Tell You What to Do, but to Remind You What Not to Do
Jorge has a unique view of literature: it is not history or philosophy, though it encompasses elements of both; it does not drive “progress” like technology, but rather slows us down by reminding us to maintain the value of being human.
She emphasizes that reading is not about happy endings or knowing what to do; literature tells us what we should not do. For example, *Green Grasshoppers* shows us that colonial wars were unnecessary, and *The Cuckoo Is So Small, So Proud When It Announces Spring’s Arrival* highlights the importance of addressing the spiritual needs of the elderly. She also points out that the lines between history and fiction are blurred; official histories may be just individual accounts, while her books piece together a more authentic story through multiple perspectives.
5. The Potential of Portuguese Literature: A Camões Prize Winner, a Nobel Prize Frontrunner
Lídia Jorge is a prominent figure in Portuguese literature. She won the Camões Prize, the highest honor in Portuguese language literature, in 2026 and is considered, along with Mia Couto (who also has African experiences), one of the most likely candidates for the Nobel Prize. Portuguese literature has a rich heritage—Camões, a national poet from the 16th century, and Fernando Pessoa, a global literary icon from the 20th century, both had a significant impact. Many outstanding writers have emerged in Portuguese-speaking countries like Brazil and Angola (with Mia Couto hailing from Mozambique). Jorge’s works help showcase the diversity and depth of Portuguese literature.
This news article not only introduces the author’s works but also highlights the role of literature in reflecting on history, human nature, and reality—no matter how times change, “humans are always the most important.”