A graceful new translation of a major (1891) novel by the master
ironist (1839-1908) who remains Brazil's greatest writer of
fiction. "Quincas Borba" denotes not only the eponymous (possibly
mad) "philosopher" whose credo of "Humanitism" disastrously
misleads his disciple Rubi??o, but also Borbas's dog (and namesake)
- in which form Rubi??o believes his mentor's soul is reincarnated.
Further complications are provided by an unreliable narrator who
second-guesses his own storytelling strategies, and by an unstable
fictive environment where dogs who are philosophers coexist with
flowers that converse. Machado's tricky narrative keeps collapsing
under the reader's feet, as the ambitious Rubi??o's star-crossed
pursuit of sex, power, and fame incarnates 19th-century Brazil's
precipitous embrace of European culture while simultaneously - and
hilariously - illustrating the vanity of human wishes. A great,
teasing, profoundly entertaining book: An unforgettable portrayal
of a materially oriented Don Quixote that's also that rarity in any
literature - a genuinely philosophical novel. (Kirkus Reviews)
Machado de Assis is considered the pre-eminent writer of Brazil. Quincas Borba is one of his four most important novels and features some of the same characters as Memorias Postumas de Bras Cubas. The main character of this novel is a well-meaning country fellow who moves to the city with his dog, Quincas Borba, named after the mad philosopher who was his previous owner. As the dog's new owner explores the social, political, and commercial world of the city, he also tries to come to grips with the motives that lie behind every human action and begins to ponder what madness really is. Despite the "heavy" messages behind this book, the narration is light-hearted, allowing readers to laugh both at the foibles of society and at themselves.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
