Surveilled by political police of the Eurico Gaspar Dutra government, in 1950; afraid of being deported for being "Jewish and Russian;" shown in an unprecedented TV interview; monitored by the military dictatorship in the 1970s; praised by Pagu, praised by DH Lawrence -- there are many versions of writer Clarice Lispector that appear strong in Teresa Montero's new book. In fact, it is an extension of the biography the author published in 1999, "I am a Question." For the centenary of Clarice's birth, celebrated in 2020, publisher Rocco communicated to Montero its intention to republish the book, which had been out of print since 2010.
"This part of the political police, as a researcher, the existence of this was known. It had already been reported, but I wanted to get the documents." She turned to the period of the military dictatorship because she noticed gaps in the reports. "Unfortunately, we still hear comments that she was not engaged, because she wrote intimate literature and such, and I was indignant! Clarice was not a woman to raise a flag, she was not the first in line, but she took a stand at various times. We have texts and also photos, such as her presence at the Passeata dos Cem Mil, in Rio," she says, referring to the largest popular demonstration against the dictatorship, on June 26, 1968.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon