The book “Memórias e Reflexões, do Cidadão” (Memories and Reflections of a Citizen) – the autophotobiography of the eminent fellow citizen, Professor Alexandre José Linhares Furtado – will be launched in the Auditorium of the Public Library and Regional Archive of Ponta Delgada, this Saturday, December 16th.
This 315-page book tells the story of the enduring legacy of his life as a doctor and citizen, who was born in Fajã de Baixo, attended the Antero de Quental High School, went to Coimbra where his family grew up, obtained a degree and a doctorate, as well as the professional career that led him to be a pioneer in Portugal in organ transplantation.
He also recounts his “adventure” in the African War when mobilized in 1972 to Mozambique, where he served at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Lourenço Marques.
There is also a chapter dedicated to the Arts, as from 1969, he began to rewrite his other side in painting and drawing, that of an artist on canvas, oil, and acrylic, where he painted landscapes of his island and also flowers, especially hydrangeas, in a tribute to his wife that is now much missed.

This trajectory – autophotographed in “Memories and Reflections” – ends with summaries, facts, and testimonies from local, national, and international personalities about his life and work in the field of surgical medicine and transplants, as well as various interventions and writings in newspapers and magazines.
The foreword – “Transplanting organs and crossing horizons” – was written by Onésimo Teotónio de Almeida, who says: “I bet that, when they reach the end of the book, readers who are curious and interested in education, teaching, science and research, medicine, but also the humanities, will join me in genuinely thanking the surgeon, the man, the citizen, the Portuguese and the islander for having taken so many hours out of their well-deserved retirement leisure time to present us with this informative journey through their time and ours.”
This autophotobiography will be presented by Maria Leonor Almeida Pavão, a professor at the University of the Azores.

In Diário dos Açores, Osvaldo Cabral, director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance)  at California State University, Fresno