Mia Couto Mia Couto was born in Mozambique in 1955. When his country became independent in 1975, Couto interrupted his studies to become a journalist and newspaper editor. Later, he resumed his studies, and is now an environmental biologist. He has published petry, short stories and a number of novels. His work has been widely recognized in the Portuguese speaking world, and has been translated into a number of European languages. Read More Read Less