Bethânia Pires Amaro's Novel 'Ressalga' Highlights Forgotten Sex Workers of Salvador

Brazilian writer Bethânia Pires Amaro has released her debut novel Ressalga, which reconstructs the lives of women who worked as sex workers on Salvador’s historic Ladeira da Montanha during its bohemian heyday of the 1950s‑70s. The author says, “These women had been the heart of that region… there was nothing in their voice,” emphasizing how they were erased from official histories.

Ressalga weaves fictional narratives with real events such as the death of Getúlio Vargas, the rise of Juscelino Kubitschek, and the presence of the medium Zé Arigó, aiming to give those women a literary voice. The book was launched at the International Literary Festival of Pelourinho (Flipelô) in early May, where Amaro participated in discussions about the work. Amaro previously earned major literary prizes for her short‑story collection Ninho.