Alberto Manguel, an acclaimed author and literary critic, recently shared insights into his work and life while residing in Lisbon, Portugal. His forthcoming book, *Resistance*, set for publication by Yale University Press as part of the "Why I Write" series, explores themes of literature as a means of political and spiritual opposition.

Manguel, whose career spans continents and decades—including formative years in Buenos Aires and Canadian cultural institutions—has lived in Lisbon since 2020. His move followed an offer from the city’s mayoral office to provide a permanent home for his extensive personal library, comprising roughly 40,000 rare and unique books. The historic mansion designated for this purpose, renamed Espaço Atlântida, was intended to serve as a center dedicated to the history of reading with Manguel as its director.

However, progress on the project has been hindered by extensive bureaucratic delays, leaving the library’s collections inaccessible to the public. Manguel has described the administrative challenges as a “meanest form of bureaucracy,” lamenting the slow pace of construction and official approvals. While he acknowledges Portugal’s slower tempo has had personal health benefits, including a pause in his cancer, the delay frustrates his efforts to share his collection before the end of his life.

At the inaugural Babell Literary Festival in Porto this past June, where Manguel delivered the keynote address, he emphasized literature’s role in resisting oppression and warned against societal complacency and indifference. His reflections extended to the impact of artificial intelligence on literature, cautioning that AI’s capacity to write, read, and critique risks eroding human responsibility and critical thinking. Manguel drew parallels to cautionary tales such as the golem and Frankenstein’s monster, illustrating concerns about “power without responsibility” ultimately leading to chaos.

Beyond his literary advocacy, Manguel is engaged in elevating Portuguese literature on the international stage. He has highlighted figures like Antonio Lobo Antunes and Gonçalo Tavares, whom he believes remain underrecognized outside Portugal despite their significant contributions. The slow cultural exchange between Portugal and the broader world, he noted, limits global awareness of contemporary Portuguese writers beyond widely known figures like Fernando Pessoa and José Saramago.

Manguel’s presence in Lisbon is marked by both cultural engagement and personal reflection. Speaking from the historic As Janelas Verdes Hotel—a site associated with notable Portuguese writer Eça de Queirós—he mused on literature, memory, and the natural world nearby. He continues to participate actively in literary festivals across Europe and Latin America, though he has expressed a sharp critique of the United States’ current sociopolitical climate, choosing to avoid visiting there.

Despite obstacles, Manguel remains dedicated to his vocation. Citing Samuel Beckett’s acknowledgment of writing as a calling born out of limitation, he remarked, “I’m merely a reader who writes,” underscoring a lifelong commitment to literature as both art and resistance.