Torcato Sepúlveda
Encyclopedia
Torcato Sepúlveda was a Portuguese newspaper journalist. His full name was John Torcato Sepúlveda de Macedo. He was known for his book reviews and cultural journalism for several Portuguese newspapers. Sepúlveda was the first cultural editor of the Público, well regarded national daily newspaper.
Sepúlveda was born in 1951 in Braga
, Portugal, to parents who were elementary school
teachers. He received his degree in Romance
philology
from the Universidade de Coimbra, where he participated in the students demonstrations against António de Oliveira Salazar
.
For his part in the demonstrations, Sepúlveda lived in exile in Brussels, Belgium, from 1971 until 1974. He did not return to Portugal until April 25, 1974, which coincided with the start of the Carnation Revolution
.
Once he returned to Portugal, Sepúlveda began working at the copy desk of the Expresso
, weekly publication. He began writing weekly book reviews for the Expresso, which he signed using a shortened version of his name, John Macedo. Sepúlveda also wrote under the pseudonyms of Buíça, Silva of Viseu and D. Luis da Cunha during his career.
Sepúlveda left the Expresso for the Público, a daily national newspaper published in Lisbon
. He became the first editor
of Público's society and cultural section of the newspaper. He also wrote later worked for the now defunct newspapers, A Capital
and O Independente
.
Sepúlveda later worked as a journalist for NS
, the Saturday magazine supplement
for the Diário de Notícias
until his death in 2008.
Torcato Sepúlveda died on May 21, 2008, at the age of 57 at the Hospital de Almada in Almada, Portugal, of an undisclosed illness. He had been hospitalized at the Hospital Garcia de Orta for the previous two days.
Sepúlveda was born in 1951 in Braga
Braga
Braga , a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and the third major city of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and one of the oldest Christian cities in the World...
, Portugal, to parents who were elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
teachers. He received his degree in Romance
Romance languages
The Romance languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family, more precisely of the Italic languages subfamily, comprising all the languages that descend from Vulgar Latin, the language of ancient Rome...
philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
from the Universidade de Coimbra, where he participated in the students demonstrations against António de Oliveira Salazar
António de Oliveira Salazar
António de Oliveira Salazar, GColIH, GCTE, GCSE served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1932 to 1968. He also served as acting President of the Republic briefly in 1951. He founded and led the Estado Novo , the authoritarian, right-wing government that presided over and controlled Portugal...
.
For his part in the demonstrations, Sepúlveda lived in exile in Brussels, Belgium, from 1971 until 1974. He did not return to Portugal until April 25, 1974, which coincided with the start of the Carnation Revolution
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
.
Once he returned to Portugal, Sepúlveda began working at the copy desk of the Expresso
Expresso (Portuguese newspaper)
right||thumb|Expresso Expresso is the flagship publication of the Group IMPRESA, and was founded by Francisco Pinto Balsemão in 1973...
, weekly publication. He began writing weekly book reviews for the Expresso, which he signed using a shortened version of his name, John Macedo. Sepúlveda also wrote under the pseudonyms of Buíça, Silva of Viseu and D. Luis da Cunha during his career.
Sepúlveda left the Expresso for the Público, a daily national newspaper published in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
. He became the first editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of Público's society and cultural section of the newspaper. He also wrote later worked for the now defunct newspapers, A Capital
A Capital
A Capital was a Portuguese afternoon newspaper published in Lisbon from 21 February 1968 to 30 July 2005....
and O Independente
O Independente
O Independente was a Portuguese weekly newspaper, published on Fridays. It was founded in May 1988 by Miguel Esteves Cardoso, who became its first editor, and Paulo Portas, who succeeded him in 1990 and served until 1995, when he left to run for office as a conservative politician. Its last...
.
Sepúlveda later worked as a journalist for NS
NS
NS as an abbreviation can mean:In geography:* Negeri Sembilan, one of the fourteen states in Malaysia* Novi Sad, a city in Serbia* Nova Scotia, as the official Canadian postal abbreviation for the provinceIn government and politics:...
, the Saturday magazine supplement
Supplement (publishing)
A supplement is a publication that has a role secondary to that of another preceding or concurrent publication.A follow-on publication complements its predecessor, either by bringing it up-to-date , or by otherwise enhancing the predecessor's coverage of a particular topic or subject matter, as in...
for the Diário de Notícias
Diário de Notícias
Diário de Notícias is a Portuguese daily newspaper, founded in Lisbon, on December 29, 1864 by Tomás Quintino Antunes and Eduardo Coelho. It gradually became one of the best known Portuguese newspapers...
until his death in 2008.
Torcato Sepúlveda died on May 21, 2008, at the age of 57 at the Hospital de Almada in Almada, Portugal, of an undisclosed illness. He had been hospitalized at the Hospital Garcia de Orta for the previous two days.