Pedro Gil de Vasconcelos presents new novel in Albergaria-a-Velha
On May 29, the Rainha D. Teresa Albergue in Albergaria-a-Velha hosted the launch of Pedro Gil de Vasconcelos’s latest novel, The Epitaph Writer. The lauch was part of the “A Inspirar Caminhos” (“Inspiring Routes”) events, promoted by the local council, which regularly invites authors and creatives to share their work with the local community, pilgrims, and those with a passion for writing and travel.
The novel follows the journey of a man who, after years spent writing epitaphs for others, comes to realise he is, in fact, writing his own. Discomfort leads him to abandon everything and set out in search of himself, travelling the Roman Geira towards Santiago de Compostela. Along the way, he encounters unlikely characters, landscapes that force him to stop, and moments that challenge what he thought he knew about death — and about life. In the author’s own words, it is “a story of epilogues that turn out to be beginnings.”
Pedro Gil de Vasconcelos was born in Porto and studied Film and Audiovisuals at the Escola Superior Artística do Porto. With a career that spans print media, radio, and television, he has worked for media organisations such as O Primeiro de Janeiro and Público, collaborated with TSF, and been part of production teams at RTP. Since 2010, he has focused on independent projects in documentary, audiovisual work, and writing. He is the author of the film Teratron – The Test Subjects and the television programmes 4 Tempos and Romaria do Meu Coração, broadcast on RTP2.
Pedro Gil de Vasconcelos’s connection to the Camino de Santiago is not only literary. A regular and dedicated pilgrim, he has walked several Jacobean routes in recent years, an experience that directly influenced the narrative of his new novel. Choosing the Albergue in Albergaria-a-Velha as the venue for the launch reflects this personal connection to the world of pilgrimage and the intention to keep literature close to those who walk.