Favela

by Alex Hijmans

Cónaíonn Alex Hijmans (Foinse, Nuacht TG4/RTÉ) i mbruachbhaile bocht, contúirteach sa Bhrasaíl. An t-aon duine den chine geal i gceantar plódaithe, ina bhfuil sliocht na nAfraiceach a tugadh mar sclábhaithe chun na Brasaíle ag streachailt leis an saol go laethúil, tá Alex ag iarraidh teacht ar rún mhuintir na há conas a éiríonn leo saol sona a chaitheamh in áit atá beo bocht?Ainmnithe ar ghearrliosta Ghradam Uí Shúilleabháin don leabhar is fearr i nGaeilge den bhliain 2010

168 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2009

About the author

Alex Hijmans was born in Heemskerk in Holland In 1975. He moved to Galway in 1995 to learn Irish as part of his degree in Celtic Studies in Holland’s Utrecht University. After his degree he did a Higher Diploma in Applied Communications in Galway University and began a career in journalism in Ireland. Alex worked for Foinse, Raidió na Gaeltachta, RTÉ and Nuacht TG4 for ten years. He has translated a novel for teenagers, Maistín (Cló Iar-Chonnacht, 2001), from Dutch to Irish and his play Aingilín was performed in Dublin and Galway in 2002. Short Stories by Alex pen have been published in the magazines Comhar, Crannóg agus Dúillí Éireann.

At the end of 2007 Alex headed for South America, where he spend six months living in a poor suburb - or favela - on the outskirts of Salvador, the third largest city in Brazil. This provided the material for his novel Favela (Cois Life, 2009) which was shortlisted for Gradam Uí Shúilleabháin 2010 (Irish Language Book of the Year Award). His next novel Aiséirí will be published in 2011.

Alex and his husband Nilton live in Salvador.

Reviews

[Paddy Reddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leabhar neamhfhicsean fíorshuimiúil ar an saol sa Bhrasaíl. D'fhoghlaim mé an-chuid faoi. Tá Poirtingéilis á fhoghlaim agam ó bhí Covid ann, agus ba bhreá liom tuilleadh ó údar seo a léamh. Go raibh maith agat!

[Doireann O'B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leabhar maith, d'fhoghlaim mé go leor faoin mBraiseal and Salvador.

[Séamas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cur síos atá ann ar shaol an údair i favela i gcathair Bhrasaíleach.
Tá an leabhar suimiúil agus dea-scríofa, lán le vignettes beaga de shaol na ndaoine ansin.
Cé gur foilsíodh an leabhar cúpla bliain ó shin tá sé thar a bheith tráthúil é a léamh anois, le léargas ceart tuisceanach a fháil ar shaol a lán daoine sa Bhrasaíl, seachas an t-imprisean dromchlach lonrach a gheofá ó íomhánna na meán cumarsáide sin atá ag craoladh ó thrá i Rio le linn Chorn an Domhain le mí anuas.