The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas

Um trabalho hercúleo de Flora Thomson-DeVeaux, americana radicada no Rio de Janeiro, para traduzir o gênio de Machado de Assis para a língua inglesa. Por exemplo, Flora consultou dicionários de época para que cada palavra traduzida tivesse o sentido que Machado pretendeu dar aos vocábulos utilizados. Um trabalho de tradução magistral, que levou anos, à altura da importância do Bruxo do Cosme Velho. Oxalá a obra siga com altas vendagens (esgotou em um dia nos EUA) para que o maior escritor brasileiro tenha o merecido reconhecimento mundial. Muito obrigado, Flora!

Hilarious, brilliant, and timeless.

Great book

I read only about 1/3 of it, and then gave up. Despite all the rave reviews, I didn't find it witty or engaging or even particularly original. Comparisons to Joyce or Sterne et al. are superficial and unhelpful for this particular book. The footnotes, of which the translator seems inordinately proud, are a real drag on the text. Probably better to refer to them only on a 2nd reading, if at all, or if this is used as a classroom text for HS or undergraduate students.

Written in 1881, this Brazilian "posthumous" novel is written by a very lively corpse whose stunted political ambitions, amorous love affairs, and railings at the stupidities of humans, including himself, make for a witty, quick paced "memoir"/obituary of a book. Like nothing you've ever read, Machado de Assis pokes at the reader's reactions, anticipates his critics' attacks, and spins you along his passions and griefs, humors and overindulgences. This is a modern novel, way ahead of its time, a classic! Although a crackpot philosopher takes up too many words yammering about his nutty ideas toward the end of the book, I have no other complaints. Terrific!