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Nelson Zagalo

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Nonfiction, Hci, Ux

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Nelson Zagalo is Full Professor of Digital Media at the University of Aveiro. His research focuses on the intersection of human experience and technology, with an increasing focus on meaning-making in Human-AI Interaction. He serves as the Scientific Coordinator of DigiMedia - Digital Media and Interaction Research Center.

He has written the books "Interactive Emotions, from Film to Videogames" (2009), “Videogames in Portugal: History, Technology and Art” (2013), and "Engagement Design. Designing for Interaction Motivations" (2020). Artificial Media (2025) is coming out this July.

Substack: https://mirrorsofthought.substack.com/ ...more

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Average rating: 4.36 · 36 ratings · 9 reviews · 15 distinct works

	Videojogos em Portugal. História, tecnologia e arte 4.47 avg rating — 17 ratings — published 2013	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Engagement Design: Designing for Interaction Motivations (Human–Computer Interaction Series) 4.60 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2020 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Interactive Storytelling (LNCS 5915) by Ido A. Iurgel (Editor), Nelson Zagalo (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Paolo Petta (Editor) 4.60 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2009	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Emoções Interactivas, do Cinema para os Videojogos 3.60 avg rating — 5 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Virtual Worlds and Metaverse Platforms: New Communication and Identity Paradigms by Nelson Zagalo (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Leonel Morgado (Editor), Ana Boa-Ventura (Editor) 4.33 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2011 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Videogame Sciences and Arts - VJ2019 by Nelson Zagalo (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Ana Isabel Veloso (Editor), Liliana Costa (Editor) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Videogame Sciences and Arts: 11th International Conference, VJ 2019, Aveiro, Portugal, November 27–29, 2019, Proceedings (Communications in Computer and Information Science Book 1164) by Nelson Zagalo (Goodreads Author) (editor), Ana Isabel Veloso (editor), Liliana Costa (editor) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Creativity in the Digital Age (Springer Series on Cultural Computing) by Nelson Zagalo (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Pedro Branco (editor) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Artificial Media: Emerging Trends in Narratives, Education and Creative Practice (Springer Series on Cultural Computing) by Nelson Zagalo (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Damian Keller (Editor) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Abordagens da Narrativa nos Media by Nelson Zagalo (Goodreads Author), AUDREY SKOR (Editor), Sandra Oliveira 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Generating Is Not Creativity

Silvia Rondini’s new study on visual creativity is worth taking seriously because it exposes a confusion that has shaped too much of the public conversation about AI: the idea that strong performance in language is enough to prove creativity in general. In the study, visual artists produced the most creative results, followed by non-artists and human-guided AI, while self-guided AI came clearl

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Rendez-Vous com Rama (Rama, #1)

by Arthur C. Clarke

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Apr 14, 2026 08:10AM

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The Infinity Machine: Demis Hassabis, DeepMind, and the Quest for Superintelligence

by Sebastian Mallaby

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The Other Side of Change: Who We Become When Life Makes Other Plans

by Maya Shankar (Goodreads Author)

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Nelson Zagalo wants to read Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice by Shunryu Suzuki	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 21, 2026 07:53AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Nelson Zagalo and 295 other people liked Will Byrnes's review of My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind: "Scott Stossel has a problem, anxiety. Big-time. Had it all his life. Think decades of therapy of the talk and chemical varieties. But, he has also had a successful career as a journalist, and is currently the editor of the Atlantic magazine. Anxiety, " Read more of this review »
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Nelson Zagalo and 62 other people liked Paula Mota's review of Elena Sabe (Portuguese Edition): "Eu quero viver, sabe?, apesar deste corpo, apesar da minha filha morta, diz e chora, continuo o escolher viver, será soberba?, há algum tempo disseram-me que eu era soberba, não acredite nas pessoas que nos rotulam, Elena. Se não tivesse dado uma segu" Read more of this review »
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Stephen Grossberg is clearly a major figure in neural networks and cognitive science, and there are moments in this book where one senses the depth of a lifetime of work. The central intuition that interested me most is genuinely strong: intelligence ...more
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Nelson Zagalo and 143 other people liked Meike's review of Lázár: "Now Winner of the Prize "Favorite Book of Independent Booksellers" 2025 Nominated for the Swiss Book Prize 2025 The hype is real: The author is a 22-year-old Swiss student of German literature, and he sold the rights to this novel, which is inspired by" Read more of this review »
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Nelson’s Quotes

“The Cosmos is all that is or was or ever will be. Our feeblest contemplations of the Cosmos stir us -- there is a tingling in the spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation, as if a distant memory, of falling from a height. We know we are approaching the greatest of mysteries.”
― Carl Sagan, Cosmos

tags: carl-sagan, cosmos, life, mystery, universe

376 likes

“Que todas as pessoas são iguais na sua secreta e silenciosa crença de que no fundo são diferentes de todas as outras.”
― David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest

tags: philosophy

6 likes

“Acredita que nenhum mestre veneziano possui esta poesia, esta fé, esta tua sensibilidade, nem a pureza e o brilho da tua pintura. Mas os quadros deles são muito mais persuasivos, aproximam-se mais da verdadeira vida. Em vez de pintarem como se estivessem no alto de um minarete, de uma altura suficiente que os faça desdenhar aquilo que os ocidentais chamam perspectiva, eles põem-se, pelo contrário, ao nível da rua, ou no interior do quarto de um príncipe, para pintarem a cama, a colcha, o escritório, o espelho, o seu leopardo, a sua filha, as suas moedas de ouro. Eles põem lá tudo, como sabes. Aliás, nem tudo o que eles fazem me seduz. Indispõem-me e acho mesquinha, sobretudo, aquela maneira de quererem a todo o custo representar o mundo tal como parece. Mas há tanta sedução no resultado que eles obtêm com esse método! Porque eles pintam o que vêem, o que o seu olho vê, exactamente como visão o recebe, enquanto nós pintamos o que contemplamos.”
― Orhan Pamuk, My Name Is Red

tags: arte, perspectiva, pintura

0 likes

“Para ti, a vida tem de ser obrigatoriamente um cenário de mudança e distracção constante, caso contrário, o mundo é uma masmorra: tens de ser admirada, tens de ser cortejada, tens de ser bajulada… tens de ter música, tens de ter bailes, tens de ter companhia… caso contrário, definhas e morres. Será possível que não consigas arranjar maneira de te tornares independente de todas as iniciativas e de todas as vontades para além das que provêm de ti própria? Pega num dia, divide-o em partes, atribui a cada parte uma determinada tarefa; não deixes nem um quarto de hora, nem dez, nem cinco minutos que sejam por preencher, ocupa a totalidade do tempo; desempenha cada tarefa com método, com uma regularidade inflexível. O dia chegará ao fim quase sem dares por isso e não ficarás em dívida para com ninguém por te ter ajudado a livrares-te dum momento de ócio, não te verás obrigada a procurar companhia, a conversa, a simpatia, a tolerância de ninguém; viveste, em resumo, como qualquer criatura independente deve viver. (p.309)”
― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

tags: autonomy, inspirational, life

6 likes

“Stop thinking about art works as objects, and start thinking about them as triggers for experiences.”
― Roy Ascott

tags: art, life

10 likes

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message 6: by Nelson

Aug 09, 2017 12:46AM

Luís wrote: "Nelson wrote: "OS 12 MELHORES LIVROS PORTUGUESES DOS ÚLTIMOS 100 ANOS"

Olá Luís, eu tenho estado a dar preferência aos clássicos internacionais, e por isso tenho avançado pouco nesta lista, mas conto ler todos os que aqui estão. Tenho andado a juntá-los e alguns já os li, vamos ver se neste verão despacho mais alguns :)

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message 5: by Nelson (last edited Nov 19, 2016 02:25PM)

Oct 23, 2016 12:53PM

OS 12 MELHORES LIVROS PORTUGUESES DOS ÚLTIMOS 100 ANOS

A Sibila, Agustina Bessa-Luís
Livro do Desassossego, Fernando Pessoa
O Ano da Morte de Ricardo Reis, José Saramago
O Delfim, José Cardoso Pires
Para Sempre, Vergílio Ferreira
Húmus, Raúl Brandão
Mau Tempo no Canal, Vitorino Nemésio
Os Cus de Judas, António Lobo Antunes
A Casa Grande de Romarigães, Aquilino Ribeiro
Finisterra, Carlos de Oliveira
Os Passos em Volta, Herbert Helder
Sinais de Fogo, Jorge de Sena

http://www.revistaestante.fnac.pt/os-...

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message 4: by Nelson

Sep 04, 2016 03:57AM

"Em 1996 David Foster Wallace escreveu um romance sobre a América num futuro próximo, um mundo dominado pelo digital e pela perseguição obsessiva do entretenimento. É uma epopeia alucinante. Há uma nação e, nela, a tristeza dos homens sozinhos. A Piada Infinita faz 20 anos: o futuro é agora."

ISABEL LUCAS (em Boston e na Califórnia)
04/09/2016 - 08:12

https://www.publico.pt/culturaipsilon...

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message 3: by Nelson

Apr 23, 2016 11:52PM

As 50 obras essenciais da literatura portuguesa, ABRIL DE 2016
http://www.dn.pt/artes/interior/as-50...

Lista das 25 obras essenciais em todos os géneros

Os Lusíadas, Camões
Livro do Desassossego, Fernando Pessoa
Sermões, Padre António Vieira
Os Maias, Eça de Queiroz
Cancioneiros Medievais (Cantigas de Amigo e de Amor)
Crónica de D. João I, Fernão Lopes
Peregrinação, Fernão Mendes Pinto
Memorial do Convento, José Saramago
Viagens na Minha Terra, Almeida Garrett
A Brasileira de Prazins, Camilo Castelo Branco
Sôbolos Rios que Vão, António Lobo Antunes
A Sibila, Agustina Bessa-Luís
Sonetos, Antero de Quental
Húmus, Raul Brandão
Livro Sexto, Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen
Menina e Moça, Bernardim Ribeiro
Mau Tempo no Canal, Vitorino Nemésio
A Arte de Ser Português, Teixeira de Pascoaes
A Casa Grande de Romarigães, Aquilino Ribeiro
Sinais de Fogo, Jorge de Sena
Aparição, Vergílio Ferreira Aparição
O Delfim, José Cardoso Pires
Uma Abelha na Chuva, Carlos de Oliveira
Maina Mendes, Maria Velho da Costa
Uma Viagem à Índia, Gonçalo M. Tavares

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message 2: by Nelson (last edited Nov 19, 2016 02:35PM)

Dec 05, 2015 03:34PM

Os Melhores Romances Escritos em Língua Portuguesa

Os Maias - Eça de Queirós
Memorial do Convento - José Saramago
Grande Sertão: Veredas - Guimarães Rosa
Mau Tempo no Canal - Vitorino Nemésio
Viagens na Minha Terra - Almeida Garrett
A Sibila - Agustina Bessa-Luís
Amor de Perdição - Camilo Castelo Branco
Sinais de Fogo - Jorge de Sena
O Delfim - José Cardoso Pires
Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas - Machado de Assis
A Casa Grande de Romarigães - Aquilino Ribeiro
Dom Casmurro - Machado de Assis
Gabriela, Cravo e Canela - Jorge Amado
Finisterra - Carlos de Oliveira
O Ano da Morte de Ricardo Reis - José Saramago
Lillias Fraser - Hélia Correia
Eurico, o Presbítero - Alexandre Herculano
A Noite e o Riso - Nuno Bragança
A Queda Dum Anjo - Camilo Castelo Branco
Ensaio sobre a Cegueira - José Saramago
Húmus - Raul Brandão
Para Sempre - Vergílio Ferreira
Os Cus de Judas - António Lobo Antunes
O Primo Basílio - Eça de Queirós
Casas Pardas - Maria Velho da Costa
A Relíquia - Eça de Queirós
A Jangada de Pedra - José Saramago
Um Deus Passeando pela Brisa da Tarde - Mário de Carvalho
A Cidade e as Serras - Eça de Queirós

http://projectoadamastor.org/os-melho...

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message 1: by Nelson (last edited Nov 08, 2014 08:28AM)

Nov 08, 2014 08:08AM

GRANDES LIVROS da LITERATURA PORTUGUESA
Série RTP, 2009, 12 documentários (50 m)

1. Os Maias (Eça De Queirós)
2. Os Lusíadas (Luís Vaz De Camões)
3. O Delfim (José Cardoso Pires)
4. Amor De Perdição (Camilo Castelo Branco)
5. Viagens na Minha Terra (Almeida Garrett)
6. Sermão de Santo (António Aos Peixes)
7. Aparição (Vergílio Ferreira)
8. Livro do Desassossego (Fernando Pessoa)
9. Mau Tempo No Canal (Vitorino Nemésio)
10. Peregrinação (Fernão Mendes Pinto)
11. Sinais De Fogo (Jorge de Sena)
12. Navegações (Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen)

Série completa online:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...
Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/channels/grandeslivr...

Uma série baseada no original "Great Books" do TLC
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lear...)

Alguns episódios: https://www.youtube.com/user/grandesl...

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