Richard has also published six children's books in Portugal. Five of his books have been nominated for the prestigious International Dublin Literary Award: Hunting Midnight, The Search for Sana, The Seventh Gate, The Warsaw Anagrams and The Night Watchman. His novels have appeared on bestseller lists in 12 different countries. In chronological order, his novels are: The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon, Unholy Ghosts, The Angelic Darkness, Hunting Midnight, Guardian of the Dawn, The Search for Sana, The Seventh Gate, The Warsaw Anagrams, Teresa Island (only in Portugal and Brazil), The Night Watchman, The Gospel According to Lazarus (The Lost Gospel of Lazarus in paperback) and The Incandescent Threads. His most recent novel is THE INCANDESCENT THREADS, which was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Awards in the USA. Richard has published twelve novels over the last 22 years, and his works have been translated into 23 languages. Zimler projects Porto out into the world and brings the rest of the world to us.' At the ceremony, Porto's mayor described the novelist as 'A citizen of Porto who was born far away, who makes the city greater and grander. In 2017, the city of Porto awarded Zimler its highest distinction, the Medal of Honor. In 1990, he moved to Porto, Portugal, where he taught journalism for sixteen years at the university level. He has a bachelor's degree from Duke University (1977) and a master's degree in journalism from Stanford. In graceful, albeit occasionally florid, prose.Richard Zimler was born in Roslyn Heights, New York, in 1956. His novel, first published in Portuguese, vividly re-creates the world of ancient Lisbon, presenting Berekiah's mysticism Richard Zimler is an American who has lived in Portugal since 1990. The trail takes him all over old Lisbon, and unraveling the mystery leads Berekiah

Bent on revenge, Berekiah sets off in search of the killer, a man he is certain is a treacherous kabalist friend of his uncle. Against this menacing backdrop, Berekiah Zarco, a follower of the mystic kabalist tradition, goes about his life in Lisbon's Jewish quarter, the Alfama.īut the course of his life changes all at once on a horrible spring night in 1506 when rioting breaks out and Berekiah returns home to discover his beloved uncle dead on the floor of the family's secret book cellar, next to the nakedĬorpse of a young woman. The forces of religion and converts are burned at the stake, murdered or tortured. But when political winds blow foul, the King sometimes loses control over Portugal's King Manuel sporadically tries to convert them by force, though these so-called New Christians usually continue to practice their beliefs in secret. Ixteenth-century Lisbon is a dangerous place, especially for Jews, who are living a half-hidden life on the run from the Spanish Inquisition.

The last kabbalist of lisbon review