Between Lines and Memories:

Exploring ‘If Toni Were Alive…’ and ‘The Oar’

Note: If you prefer to read this text in Portuguese, you can find it here: .

Introductory Note

Dear Readers,

This 5th edition of ‘Twin Minds: Alba & Anton’ transports us to a universe where literature becomes a bridge between different worlds and times.

In this edition, the ongoing dialogue and intimate communication between António Carneiro Gonçalves (Toni, with the alter ego Anton) and Dinis Carneiro Gonçalves (Sebastião Alba) stand out. This dialogue, as Alba mentioned in his interview with Michel Laban (Newsletter of 03/11/2024), confirms their belief in their intellectual union as twins.

The concept of ‘intellectual twins’ is evidenced in the symbiosis of two significant works included in this edition: “If Toni Were Alive…” by Sebastião Alba and “The Oar” by Anton. This combination is not only a tribute to the connection between the two but may also extend to the work “This is a Stone,” published in Newsletter #04 (04/02/2024), which could also have been an interesting combination with the short story “The Oar”.

However, we opted for “If Toni Were Alive…,” a piece that demonstrates Alba’s intimate and personal reflection on sharing drafts with Toni and the moments not experienced…