Jorge Amado.

Jorge Leal Amado de Faria was born on August 10, 1912 in Itabuna, Bahia, to João Amado de Farias and Eulália Leal. His family owned a cacao plantation, and his childhood there shaped the settings of his later novels. He had three brothers: Jofre, Joelson, and James. He studied law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Faculty of Law, but he chose to become a writer instead of practicing law.

Amado’s breakout came with the novel Gabriela Cravo e Canela in 1958, which sold millions and was adapted into a telenovela. He followed with Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos in 1966, also adapted for film and television. His works portrayed the lives of the poor and the culture of Bahia. He was elected to the Academia Brasileira de Letras on April 6, 1961. He also served on the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1985.

Amado married twice. First to Matilde Garcia Rosa, with whom he had a daughter, Eulália Dalila, born in 1935. He later married Zélia Gattai, a writer and photographer, with whom he had two children: João Jorge, born in Rio de Janeiro in 1947, and Paloma, born in Prague in 1951 during his exile. He had six grandchildren: Bruno, Maria João, João Jorge Filho, Jorge Amado Neto, Mariana, and Cecília.

Jorge Amado’s works have been translated into many languages. He won the Camões Prize in 1995, the most prestigious award for Portuguese literature. His novels have been adapted into films, TV shows, and theater. Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil’s song Haiti references Amado. He is remembered for his vibrant portrayal of Bahian life.