Fernando Cardoso

Fernando Cardoso was born in Porto but has lived in Lisbon since he was four years old. With a degree and master's in Law, he began practicing law in 1973. He contributed to various newspapers and has dedicated himself to diverse activities related to writing, theater, and television. He published studies in the field of Law, books of verse, and several works intended for children. Among his works, however, the four collections of popular poetry (Poetas populares, 4 vols.) that he organized and published between 1976 and 1978 stand out, through the publishing house for which he is simultaneously responsible and principal author: Editora Portugalmundo. These works aroused the interest of scholars of so-called popular literature. With several editions, his books for children – praised by the publisher but not spared criticism by some critics – are divided into short stories, verse compositions, dramatic texts, and miscellaneous works (for example, Flores para crianças, 1974) or even informative in nature. Selective bibliography: Passeio a Marte (1974), Lisboa: Portugalmundo; Tani (1979), Lisboa: Portugalmundo; David no planeta dos dinossauros (1993), Lisboa: Portugalmundo; O ciclo da vida em versos amigos e postais antigos (1995), Lisboa: Portugalmundo; Diálogo com o Principezinho (2007), Lisboa: Portugalmundo. Poet, author of children's literature, and lawyer. He moved to Lisbon at the age of four, having started working at twelve. He was a messenger, office clerk, insurance broker, primary school teacher, Secretary-General of the Civil Government, and head of litigation for a large company. He graduated in Law from the University of Coimbra in 1968 and is currently a lawyer and university professor. Some of his verses have been set to music and recorded. His collection of popular poetry, Poetas Populares, earned him an invitation to present a television program of the same name. He was honored by the Accademia Internazionale di Pontzen, Italy, with the «Palma de Ouro» for his body of work. He is also the author of books on Law.