Elsie Lessa
Encyclopedia
Elsie Lessa was a Brazilian journalist
and writer
of American descent.
She was hired as a reporter for the newspaper O Globo
in 1946. From 1952 till her death in May 2000, she wrote continuously for the paper. No other writer had a permanent role with the paper for so long.
She was considered one of the two most beautiful women of her day in Rio de Janeiro
, along with Adalgisa Nery
). The writer Rubem Braga
tells of how he followed her for a long time through the streets of downtown São Paulo
, just to enjoy her beauty and grace.
The writer Ruy Castro
, in his book Ela é Carioca said of her: "Elsie has to be placed beside the greatest masters of a genre in the language, like Rubem Braga
, Paulo Mendes Campos
and Fernando Sabino
".
She was a granddaughter of the writer and grammarian Júlio Ribeiro, patron of the 24th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters
and the creator of the flag of the State of São Paulo.
She was married to the writer Orígenes Lessa
, with whom she had a son, the writer and journalist Ivan Lessa
. Lessa later married journalist and writer Ivan Pedro de Martins. She is the grandmother of the writer Juliana Foster, and aunt and godmother of the writer and translator Sergio Pinheiro Lopes.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
of American descent.
She was hired as a reporter for the newspaper O Globo
O Globo
O Globo is a Brazilian newspaper based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. O Globo is the most prominent print publication in the Marinho family's Brazilian media conglomerate....
in 1946. From 1952 till her death in May 2000, she wrote continuously for the paper. No other writer had a permanent role with the paper for so long.
She was considered one of the two most beautiful women of her day in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, along with Adalgisa Nery
Adalgisa Nery
Adalgisa Nery was a Brazilian poet, journalist and politician. She was born in Rio de Janeiro as Adalgisa Maria Feliciana Noel Cancela Ferreira, the daughter of a civil servant...
). The writer Rubem Braga
Rubem Braga
Rubem Braga was a notable Brazilian writer of short stories. He was born in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim city, state of Espírito Santo, on January 12, 1913....
tells of how he followed her for a long time through the streets of downtown São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, just to enjoy her beauty and grace.
The writer Ruy Castro
Ruy Castro
Ruy Castro is a Brazilian author and journalist. In 1996 he was a co-winner of the Prêmio Jabuti. He is known, in part, for his writings concerning Bossa nova.- References :...
, in his book Ela é Carioca said of her: "Elsie has to be placed beside the greatest masters of a genre in the language, like Rubem Braga
Rubem Braga
Rubem Braga was a notable Brazilian writer of short stories. He was born in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim city, state of Espírito Santo, on January 12, 1913....
, Paulo Mendes Campos
Paulo Mendes Campos
Paulo Mendes Campos , was a Brazilian writer and journalist.Born in Minas Gerais, was the son of the physician and writer Mario Mendes Campos and D...
and Fernando Sabino
Fernando Sabino
Fernando Sabino was a Brazilian writer and journalist.Sabino was born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, where he lived until he was twenty, when he moved to Rio de Janeiro....
".
She was a granddaughter of the writer and grammarian Júlio Ribeiro, patron of the 24th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters
Academia Brasileira de Letras
Academia Brasileira de Letras is a Brazilian literary non-profit society established at the end of the 19th century by a group of 40 writers and poets inspired by the Académie Française. The first president, Machado de Assis, declared its foundation on December 15, 1896, with the statutes being...
and the creator of the flag of the State of São Paulo.
She was married to the writer Orígenes Lessa
Orígenes Lessa
Orígenes Lessa, journalist, short story writer, novelist, and a writer of essays, was born in Lençóis Paulista, SP, on July 12, 1903, and died in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, on July 13, 1986...
, with whom she had a son, the writer and journalist Ivan Lessa
Ivan Lessa
Ivan Pinheiro Themudo Lessa is a Brazilian journalist and writer of American descent. Born in São Paulo, he is the son of the journalist and writer Elsie Lessa and the writer Orígenes Lessa and the father of the British writer Juliana Foster....
. Lessa later married journalist and writer Ivan Pedro de Martins. She is the grandmother of the writer Juliana Foster, and aunt and godmother of the writer and translator Sergio Pinheiro Lopes.
Books
- Pelos caminhos do mundo (1950). Rio de Janeiro: A Noite.
- A dama da noite: crońicas (1963). Rio de Janeiro: Livraria J. Olympio.
- Crônicas de amor e desamor (1973). Rio de Janeiro: F. Alves.
- Ponte Rio-Londres (1984). Rio de Janeiro: Editora Record.
- Formoso tejo meu: (Crónicas) (1998). Lisbon: Editora Pergaminho. ISBN 9727111734
- Canta que avida é un dia. Crônicas reunidas. (1998). Rio de Janeiro: Razao Cultural. ISBN 8586280259