José Maria dos Reis Pereira (17 September 1901 – 22 December 1969), better known by the pen name José Régio, was a Portuguese writer who spent most of his life in Portalegre (1929 to 1962). He was the brother of Júlio Maria dos Reis Pereira, a painter and illustrator.

Biography

In 1927 he founded the magazine Presença which would come to be a cornerstone of the Second Modernism movement in Portugal, of which he was the main spokesperson. Aside from this magazine he also made contributions to newspapers such as the Diário de Notícias and the Comércio do Porto. He was defiant of the Estado Novo regime and was a member of the Movimento de Unidade Democrática (Movement of Democratic Unity), supporting Norton de Matos in his bid for the Portuguese presidency. As a writer, José Régio was the author of novels, plays, poetry and essays. His works are strongly focused on the theme of conflict between Man and God and between Individual and Society; in a critical analysis of solitude and human relations. As an essayist, he dedicated himself to the study of Camões and Florbela Espanca.

Published works

Poetry

Fiction

Essays

Plays