Leonel Neves

Poet, writer, and lyricist, he stands out mainly in children's and young adult literature. He began his studies, as well as his literary activity, in Faro, collaborating with provincial newspapers and magazines, notably the magazine Costa de Oiro, from Lagos. He moved to Lisbon to attend the final year of high school, which he completed in 1937, and to study Mathematics at the Faculty of Sciences, graduating in Mathematics and as a Geographical Engineer. During this period, he was part of the editorial staff of the newspaper Horizonte, from the University of Lisbon. In the early 1940s, he frequented the Café Chiado literary circle, socialized and collaborated with the neo-realists. He published his first book of poems, Janela Aberta. In 1943, he published the short story «Laranjinha Escreveu um Romance» in the book Companha, illustrated by Manuel Ribeiro de Pavia, which also featured Aleixo Ribeiro, Eugénio de Andrade, Sidónio Muralha, Alexandre Cabral, and Manuel do Nascimento. His literary activity also extended to the «Página Infantil» (Children's Page) of Diário Popular, with the publication of his first children's stories. He began his collaboration with fado singers, writing lyrics for fados sung and recorded by Júlia Barroso, Amália Rodrigues, Paradela de Oliveira, Maria Teresa de Noronha, Vicente da Câmara, and others. His book of poetry, Ontem à Noite, 1989, records this period of his life in Lisbon. He joined the National Meteorological Service in 1946, belonging to the first class of meteorologists. His professional activities took him to Santa Maria, Azores, where he lived for two years, and later to Mozambique, where he stayed for six years. The next step was Timor, in 1964, where he remained for two years and served as Head of the Meteorological Service of Timor (visiting all meteorological observation posts on the island, some only accessible by horse). This experience resulted in the book of poetry, Memória de Timor-Leste, 1997. When he returned to Portugal in 1966, he collaborated with Dr. Luís Góis's «group», writing lyrics for about twenty-two songs, and published the book of poetry, Natural do Algarve, 1968 (republished by the University of Algarve, in 1986). From 1975 onwards, he embarked on a long series of publications of children's and young adult books, most of them illustrated by Tossan, an old childhood companion. In recent years, Leonel Neves continues to write poetry and children's books (some adapted for Basic Education). Represented in many literary anthologies, he is invited to and visits numerous schools across the country, reciting his poems, reading and talking about his stories, and sharing his experience.