On Monday, April 22, 2024, Lost City Books in Washington, D.C. will host a virtual conversation about the novel "The Words That Remain" by Brazilian author Stênio Gardel. The book won the 2023 National Book Award for Translated Literature, with the English translation done by Bruna Dantas Lobato. "The Words That Remain" tells the story of Raimundo, a man from an impoverished area of Brazil who fell in love with Cícero when they were young. However, their affair was brutally ended when Raimundo's father discovered and beat him upon finding out. Despite later succeeding in life in the big city, Raimundo remained haunted by a letter from Cícero that he couldn't read until finally acquired literacy at age 71. The novel explores themes of repression, violence, shame, survival, endurance, and the power of language and the written word. It provides a sweeping look at Brazil's rural hinterlands as well as its urban areas. Gardel, born in 1980 in rural northeastern Brazil, made his literary debut with this powerful, award-winning work. Lobato, the translator, is a Brazilian writer and literary translator based in St. Louis. Her translation of Gardel's novel earned her the National Book Award for Translated Literature. The conversation will be moderated by Lost City's Talita Fernandes. Attendees can RSVP to receive the Zoom link for this virtual event the day before. Copies of the book will also be available for purchase.