Paulo Scott

Paulo Scott was born in Porto Alegre in 1966. He grew up in a working class neighbourhood and started to write poetry in 1979. As a young adult he got involved in movements in the defence of human rights. At university, Scott was an active member of the student political movement and he also took part in Brazil’s re-democratisation process. After graduating in Law and Public Business Law, Paulo Scott taught at the departments of Law and Business Law at the Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul for the next ten years.

His first literary work, »Ainda orangotangos« (2003; tr: Still Orang-utans), attracted the attention of the critics and Brazil’s major publishing houses alike. The book was adapted for film by director Gustavo Spolidoro and won the 13th Milano Film Festival. In 2005 Scott published »Voláteis« (tr: The Volatile), a novel about a decadent illustrator and an enigmatic woman who suffers from the rare illness porphyria, an incapability to bear direct sunlight. »Voláteis« will shortly be adapted for the movies. Besides, so far Scott has published four highly praised volumes of poetry in Brazil: »Histórias curtas para domesticar as paixões dos anjos e atenuar os sofrimentos dos monstros« (2001, tr: Short stories to curb the passion of the angels and alleviate the suffering of the monsters), »Senhor escuridão« (2006, tr: Mister Darkness), »A timidez do monstro« (2006, tr: The shyness of the monster) and »O monstro e o minotauro« (2011, tr: The monster and the minotaur) in collaboration with the cartoonist Laerte. Paulo Scott also wrote the play »Crucial dois um« (tr: Decisive two one), for which he received the drama award FUNARTE/Myriam Muniz de Teatro 2006.

In 2008, Scott gave up teaching at university for good and moved to Rio de Janeiro, where he has been dedicating himself entirely to his writing. In this emblematic city, Scott wrote the novel »Habitante irreal« (tr: Unreal inhabitant; forthcoming in the UK from And Other Stories). He received the Petrobras 2009/2010 literary scholarship to complete this novel, which was awarded the Fundação Biblioteca Nacional 2012 Prize and nominated for the prestigious Prêmio Portugal Telecom de Literatura 2012. It was also a finalist for the Prêmio Jabuti 2012, the Prêmio São Paulo de Literatura and the Prêmio Bravo! 2012 in the category Best Book. Scott’s latest novel »Ithaca Road« is set in Sydney, and its main character is a Maori with European heritage who works as a design producer for art exhibitions in England and Australia. He has been doing a few translations, revising manuscripts and screenplays, organising literary workshops and writing for a number of magazines and newspapers.

Ainda orangotangos

Livros do Mal

Porto Alegre, 2003

Voláteis

Objetiva

Rio de Janeiro, 2005

A timidez do monstro

Objetiva

Rio de Janeiro, 2006

O monstro e o minotauro

Ducineia Catadora

São Paulo, 2011

Unwirkliche Bewohner

Wagenbach

Berlin, 2013

[Ü: Marianne Gareis]