Gonçalo M. Tavares (b. 1970 in Luanda, Angola) is one of the leading lights of contemporary Portuguese literature. His books have been published in 35 different countries and adapted for the stage and for radio, as well as in short films and even operas. He won the José Saramago Award in 2005 for his novel Jerusalem, the Portuguese writers association’s Camilo Castelo Branco Award in 2006 for Água cão cavalo cabeça (Water Dog Horse Head) and the award for best foreign book in France in 2010 for Aprender a Rezar na Era da Técnica (Learning to Pray in the Age of Technology).