'The Carnation Revolution reads like a political thriller. Fernandes, a Portuguese writer living in London, deftly conveys what a madcap enterprise it was. ... Fernandes has full command of the literature and historical archives on the revolution and his narrative deploys a level of detail few will find fault with.' The Times

'The book offers a lively account of a phenomenon rare by the standards of southern Europe at the time — a military coup that ended authoritarianism, and restored democracy and civil rights to the people… It is a gripping tale.' Financial Times

'I feel like I’ve been waiting three decades for precisely this book... In clear language, with a brilliantly detailed narrative, Alex Fernandes leaves us in no doubt why we should celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Carnation Revolution and never forget why it came about.'

Lara Pawson, author of This Is the Place to Be

'The Carnation Revolution is a detailed, highly readable synthesis of Portuguese-language histories, told in the narrative present, with an emphasis on "history from below".' TLS

'A brilliantly detailed and evocative account of a revolution unlike any other: the Portuguese Revolution of 1974... A book that needs to be read.'

Helder Macedo, Emeritus Professor of Portuguese, King's College London

'Alex Fernandes displays an encyclopaedic knowledge of modern Portuguese political history in this admirably detailed exploration of the revolution that ushered in democracy in 1974. A thrilling and inspiring page-turner.'

Richard Zimler, author of international bestseller The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon

'A gripping account of an episode in European history that should be better known. Alex Fernandes narrates in vivid detail how junior officers disillusioned by Portugal's colonial wars launched a daring coup to bring down a dictator, winning popular support in the face of the regime's brutal repression.'

Catherine Fletcher, author of The Beauty and the Terror

'This is a real page-turner of a history book, a truly riveting account of the build-up to Portugal's near-bloodless 1974 Carnation Revolution, the revolution itself, and its messy aftermath, bringing all the participants vividly to life.'

Margaret Jull Costa

'In this in-depth and passionate book about the 1974 revolution that changed Portugal's destiny, Fernandes introduces us to the places where the historic events took place, and provides vivid portraits of the protagonists.'

Nick Caistor, translator of The Lizard by Jose Saramago

'Alex Fernandes has given the Carnation Revolution what it deserves: an animating account that gives life to its course… Whether when he is writing of cafes in Lisbon where the revolutionaries gathered or the battlefields of Angola and Mozambique, where they were first radicalised, Fernandes's prose is compelling with an eye for the details that make history come alive… A book that takes you to Portugal – and makes you not want to leave.'

Arash Azizi, author of What Iranians Want

'The Carnation Revolution reads more like a thriller than a history book, taking the reader through the conspiracy of young captains who brought a democratic Portugal into existence.' Jacobin