Product Description

Recognized as a turning point in Brazilian literature, this entertaining novel of urban manners follows the neer-do-well Leonardo through his various romantic liaisons and frequent scrapes with the law. First printed in weekly installments in 1852, and later published in two volumes in 1854-55, Memoirs of a Militia Sergeant comprises a series of humorous vignettes held together by the adventures and misfortunes of this young rogue--who matures from a handful of a toddler into a ruffian of a boy and an idler of a young man--and his father, also named Leonardo.

Manuel Antonio De Almeida tells a story in everyday language that is rich in detail of life on the streets and the modest circumstances of the free poor of Rio de Janeiro. Through satirical accounts of the escapades of characters who always seem close to the brink of some personal crisis or social misstep, yet who manage to pull through by hook or by crook, Almeida makes a subtle and incisive comment on Brazilian urban society and culture of the nineteenth century. Now available in a new and lively translation, Memoirs of a Military Sergeant occupies an important position in the satirical literature of Brazil and the world.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21734 in eBooks
• Published on: 1958-11-30
• Format: Kindle Book
• Number of items: 1

From Library Journal
A staple of Brazilian literature, this 1855 novel (it was serialized a few years earlier) follows Leonardo, a scamp of a boy who grows into a roguish adult who takes after his cad of a father, also named Leonardo. The adventures are mostly light and satirical vignettes ? la Henry Fielding's Tom Jones.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Memoirs Of A Militia Sergeant ($25.00; Dec.; 224 pp.; 0-19-511549-X): The lives of Portuguese-occupied Brazils black slave populace and poor free people alike are memorably dramatized in this robust picaresque satire, first published serially in 1852. Almeidas engaging antihero Leonardo, who islike his father and namesakean inveterate prankster and rogue, is both a convincing incarnation of the life force and, in his subordinate adversary relation to the tyrannical police inspector Vidigal (another brilliant drawn character), a comic Jean Valjean who continuously frustrates his pursuer Javert. A rediscovered gem: both a historically important work and a terrific entertainment. -- Copyright ©2000, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Review
"Readable and accessible, this is the first English translation in 30 years, and it continues the fine standards of the reputable Oxford series."--Lawrence Olszewski, Library Journal

"Rich in authentic historical detail..."--Booklist

"Although Memoirs of a Militia Sergeant was the only significant work produced by Brazilian author Manuel Antonio de Almeida, his delightful comedy of manners certainly qualifies as an overlooked gem. These satirical literary sketches, first published in installments in 1852, chronicle the often hilarious youthful escapades and romantic forays of a charming ne'er do well, from his inauspicious birth to his unlikely transformation into a police officer.... this humorous episodic novel also offers a rare glimpse into the nineteenth-century Brazilian society and culture. Recommended where interest in Latin American literature is strong."--Booklist