Top & Best Machado de Assis Books Review 2022 – How to Select Ultimate Buyer’s Guide
Machado de Assis Books: How to buy the best in 2022?
If you love literature, renowned authors and enjoy Brazilian culture, today is your lucky day! We will talk about the books by Machado de Assis, who is considered by many to be the best writer to have ever lived in our country!
It doesn’t matter if you are just starting to look for good works to read, if you are on this page because of the entrance exam or if you are already an avid reader and knowledgeable of the great authors. In the next lines, we will help you to know everything you need to have the best books by Machado de Assis on your shelf! Prepared?
First, the most important
- Machado de Assis is considered by many to be the greatest Brazilian writer of all time. His works, written mostly in the late 19th century, are studied worldwide.
- Machado de Assis’ main books are “Memories Posthumous of Brás Cubas”, “Dom Casmurro” and “Quincas Borba”. There are a large number of editions of each.
- Machado de Assis’s literature stands out for its anarchic and ironic tone of writing and for the deep psychological analyzes of the protagonist characters.
You may also like:
- Classics of Brazilian Literature: How to choose the best in 2022
- Clarice Lispector’s books: How to choose the best in 2022
- Bráulio Bessa’s Books: The Best in 2022
The best editions of books by Machado de Assis: Our opinion
A renowned Brazilian author like Machado de Assis is always the target of re-releases and new editions by publishers. After all, repackaging such incredible content is quite profitable. To help you, we have chosen some fabulous editions of books by Machado de Assis that will surely inspire you with a desire to have them!
- The greatest classic
- The box for collectors
- For fans of tales
Buying Guide
You probably already know the importance of Machado de Assis for Brazilian literature. Now, you must ask yourself which book to choose. Or, if you already know, which is the best edition.
Next, in our buying guide, we will dedicate ourselves to answering all your questions about the works of the greatest Brazilian writer.
There are several other very important titles by Machado de Assis, including his short stories. Options to occupy your brain and your bookshelf with the author will not be lacking!
Did you know that one of the biggest discussions in Brazilian literature comes from a book by Machado de Assis? The question that doesn’t stop is: “Did Capitu betray Bentinho or not”?
But this is a relatively new issue. The book Dom Casmurro is narrated by Bentinho, who believes he has been betrayed, and his word has been taken for granted for decades. It was only in the 1960s that American essayist Helen Caldwell raised the discussion about everything being just paranoia.
Today, from academia to social media, this is always a heated discussion!
Why is Machado de Assis considered one of the greatest Brazilian authors?
Machado de Assis is appreciated worldwide as one of the great writers of the era of realism. He was even responsible for starting this movement in Brazil.
Much more than works for entrance exams, everything he produced has a place of honor in the largest pantheon of literature on the planet.
The peculiar humor and an always somber pessimism are among the characteristics of the author.
The author built a unique profile during his career. Among its main marks are the rich psychological analysis of the characters, the mastery of thoughts about actions, the peculiar humor, the grammatical games and an always somber pessimism.
Of poor origin and descendant of slaves, Machado de Assis was a mulatto, which makes his rise to the top of the circle of Brazilian literature in the 19th century even more remarkable.
Why read Machado de Assis books?
If you’re a fan of literature, the answer to that question is quite easy: The pure literary pleasure of reading the work of one of the greatest authors of all time.
But if you’re still taking your first steps in reading, you can look at it from other angles. The knowledge and culture that Machado de Assis’s reading will provide you with is great. They will give you a new perspective on, after all, what literature is.
Machado de Assis’ works are usually part of questions about entrance exams and other public competitions. Therefore, knowledge can also help in your life.
You may find the reading strange at first due to the author’s peculiar style. If you prefer a simpler or lighter text, it may not be a good idea to dive into this complex and pessimistic work. But still, we recommend that you do not give up!
See below the advantages and disadvantages of reading Machado de Assis:
Benefits
- Possibility to read one of the greatest authors of all time
- Culture, knowledge and literary pleasure
- Works are usually required in entrance exams and competitions
Disadvantages
- Reading can be a little difficult
- The author has a pessimistic and sometimes heavy tone
What are the phases of Machado de Assis’ work?
Writers always have their works divided into phases. After all, we think and feel different things during life and this is directly reflected in the production of those who write.
In the case of Machado de Assis, the division is made into two sectors. The first is the romantic, the second is the realistic.
When Machado de Assis started to write, romanticism was the predominant literary school in Brazil. “Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas” is responsible for inaugurating both Brazilian realism and the second phase of the author’s career.
With maturity, the writer himself considered his writings from the first phase “naive and romances”. But that does not mean that they do not deserve your attention!
See the comparison of the two phases of Machado de Assis:
How much does it cost and where to buy Machado de Assis books?
Machado de Assis books can be sold individually or in boxes. Obviously, the latter are much more expensive, reaching up to around R $ 400. The former have their prices varying according to the quality of the edition and range between R $ 20 and R $ 700.
You can find good copies of Machado de Assis books in any bookstore. Another possibility is to purchase online. Brazilian Amazon is the best option, followed by Amazon.
Purchasing criteria: What to consider when buying Machado de Assis books
You already know why Machado de Assis is so brilliant and you are probably convinced to read his works, right? So let’s talk now about more technical questions about the physical (or virtual) part of books.
We have selected some important items to discuss. Are they:
- Edition
- Digital availability
- Genre
- Format
Below, we talk more about each one:
Edition
How much do you care about having a special edition of a book? Are features like hard or plain cover, paper weight, presence of illustrations or special texts and binding important to you?
There are some fantastic editions of Machado de Assis’ books available for sale, like some from Nova Aguilar, and others that are just common, keeping the price low. It all depends on what is your priority!
Digital availability
Most of Machado de Assis’ works are available for e-readers.
The world is changing and today many people prefer to replace the classic paper book with an e-reader such as kindle. Thus, the ideal is that the books also have good digital editions.
A renowned writer like Machado de Assis has most of his works (and special editions) available for e-readers. But, before choosing your book, make sure you can buy the digital file. Otherwise, there may be frustration!
Genre
Machado de Assis’ main works are novels, such as “Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas” and “Dom Casmurro”. But that is not all: During his career, the great writer also produced poetry, short stories, chronicles and plays.
If you have a great preference for prose poetry, it is worth checking out Machado de Assis’ work in this genre. The same goes, for example, for the chronicle – the author’s production is very extensive, going from over six hundred texts of the type!
Format
There are those who prefer to read on the bus or the subway and those who like the comfort of home more. There are those who like the most beautiful and elaborate editions and those who prefer the small and easy to be transported.
Almost all of Machado de Assis’ main works are available in a pocket, regular or special version. If you really like taking your book on public transport, choosing the first one can be a great idea. Also check out the boxes, perfect for collectors!
machado de assis books in english
dom casmurro
machado de assis english
machado de assis short stories
machado de assis poems
the posthumous memoirs of bras cubas
the collected stories of machado de assis
machado de assis short stories pdf
