From a challenging literary quiz to a show celebrating the 500th anniversary of Camões: October’s cultural lineup at Porto’s libraries

In October, books come to life at Porto’s libraries. The month features gatherings centered on short stories, poetry readings, and a performance dedicated to Camões. There’s also a live-recorded podcast and a quiz to test your knowledge of literature.

The “Short Stories in Dialogue” series returns on Thursday, October 1, at 6:30 p.m., at the Almeida Garrett Municipal Library. Eva Carvalho and Maria João Sampaio will discuss “Menina a Caminho” by Raduan Nassar. On October 15, at the same time, the series continues with “The Woman from Atlantis,” a short story from *The Good Evil* by Samanta Schweblin.

Between these two dates, Agustina Bessa-Luís takes center stage at “Porto de Letras.” The session will take place on October 6 at 6:00 p.m. at the Biblioteca de Autores Portuenses, with Márcia Soares moderating the discussion.

Senior Book Club: On October 15, at 2:30 p.m., at the Biblioteca de Autores Portuenses, the group will read “O Homem na Rotunda” by Marta Pais de Oliveira, with Albina Pacheco and Iria Teixeira. The meeting will be held again on October 28, at 2:00 p.m., at the Union of the Parishes of Aldoar, Foz do Douro, and Nevogilde.

On October 14, at 2:30 p.m., the Almeida Garrett Municipal Library will host “Luís de Camões, A Written Voice!” with João Loy and Emanuel Ribeiro. The event is part of the celebrations marking the 500th anniversary of the poet’s birth.

At the Eugénio de Andrade Poetry Library, “A Poesia Adora Andar Descalça”(Poetry Loves to Walk Barefoot), featuring Adelaide Silva and Carla Teixeira, continues its regular poetry gatherings. The sessions are on October 7, 14, 21, and 28, at 3:00 p.m.

Poetry also takes center stage on the “A Língua Descalça” podcast . Gabriela Relvas and Renato Filipe Cardoso return on October 1, at 5: 00 p.m., with “Desejos ao Rubro.” It is the 15th episode of the podcast, recorded live, and explores desire: what we desire, how we desire, and what temperature it might have. On October 29, at the same time, the duo presents “Poesia para Comer.”

To wrap up the month with a playful spirit, the “Book Quiz, ” hosted by Guilherme Cobretti, will take place on October 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the Almeida Garrett Municipal Library. The challenge is to discover what you know—or think you know—about books and literature.

You can find the complete schedule, times, and participation guidelines on the Porto Libraries website.