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Follow the online presence of the Museum of Christian Art, Old Goa Contacts: Tel: +91 832 2285299 Email:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://christianartmuseum.goa-india.org/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Friends It is a very much known fact, that one of the characteristics of our "Goanaise" is to dedicate ouselveselves to literature of all possible forms: novels, children's ,cientific,poetry, religious,editorials,etc. Goans have written around the world where our diafora took them and in their motherland, in some fourteen languages.Dom Moraes in UK and Orlando da Costa in Portugal are two examples of recent times,but who are no more amidst us. The most compreensive study about it, was done by Aleixo Manuel da Costa in his" Dicionário de Literatura Goesa"( 1702 to 1950)-Instituto Cultural De Macau- Fundacao Oriente-1997. After Liberation in 1961, when the Govt. censorhip was gone, there have been in Goa many books ( Pedro Correia Afonso, Alberto Noronha,etc in Portuguese) and many in English, Concani and Marathi. This letter is to give you the good news that another book will "hit the stands" ( using the habitual cliché) on the 24th August at 16.15 at the Kala Akademy.Its name is"From Goa to Patagonia- memoirs spanning times and spaces" (Attach 1) by Mr. Alfredo Bachman de Mello( Attach.2). Who is he? The first son, of one of the most famous Goans Dr. Froilano de Mello,scientist,research, Parlamentarian,and founder of the "Leprosaria de Macasana', now named after him ( Attach.3). After his primary studies in Pangim, he went to Bangalore to Bishop Cotten High School and now is the oldest living past-pupil. After trying to do Medicine in Porto,he gave up, joined the British Army during the W.W.II as a pilot, crashed while bombarding Germany, was a prisioner who managed to escape. Finally, went to Uruguay where one of his maternal uncles was settled with a factory which he joined and after his death owned and continue to manage it. How did I come to know him? Thanks to the Net !! Our parents were friends, my father being a doctor and a Prof. of the Escola Medica and my mother also from Benaulim and from the very same "Pulvaddo". Once on catching his e-mail, I wrote to him: a friendship was born.! He started posting to me his "Memoirs' written for his family. Finally, being very interesting, I asked him to publish it in the form of a Book. He agreed.We asked Dr. Teotonio Sousa ( known to you all) to write the Foreword and Dr.Carmo de Souza, (Director, Ismilda Reseach Consultancy) to print it. For you to judge the book, even before its release, I also attach one chapter called "Mainatos and Addau"( Attc.4) It is a nice coincidence that his book will be released on the day of the ADDAU which he remembers. I also give the "Introduction" ( attach 5) . There is another feature which makes this book very precious: as an Appendix, it includes a Secret letter written to Salazar by his father. It is for the very first time, that this document is printed. ( Attac.6) The programme goes by the Attach 7. It also includes a Homage to Dr. Froilano de Mello, presented by our very much known historian, Mr. Percival Noronha. To have an opinion about the book, please read in the "Gomantak Times" dt.Aug.21.st Pg.5 an interesting article by Frederick Noronha, entitled : 'PATAGONIA, WHERE IS THAT?" I request you to kindly grace the occasion with your presence. The book will be available for sale at the site @ Rs, 225/- so also at Broadway Book Centre, Please FWD this letter to your friends. The Recipients who are not in Pangim, can place their order directly to Dr. Carmo Sousa( CC) and their own messages of congratulations, if they so wish, to Mr. Alfredo de Mello ( CC). Kind regards FernandodoRego FernandodoRego 143-Fontainhas.Pangim 403.001. GOA. INDIA TEL: 222. 6353