Joaquim Arena
Born in 1964, Joaquim is a Cape Verdean-Portuguese writer and journalist. A lawyer by training, he dedicated himself to literature. He also served as the cultural advisor to the president of Cape Verde. He has published three novels, A Beacon in the Desert, The Truth about Chindo Luz, and Where the Turtles Fly. Under Our Skin (Debaixo da Nossa Pele) is his first full-length work of non-fiction, and his first book to be translated into English.
Cape Verde
A haunting exploration of memory, identity, and trauma set in post-colonial Cape Verde. Through the unraveling of a mysterious disappearance, the novel confronts the lingering scars of colonialism and the silence surrounding both personal and national histories.