The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás CubasThe Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas
Score Classic
What it's about
Narrated by a dead man looking back on his life, Machado de Assis's novel is one of the wittiest, most playful books ever written. The author, the mixed-race grandson of formerly enslaved people, is Brazil's most celebrated writer.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. Writers from Philip Roth to Susan Sontag have championed it.
You'll love it if you liked
Dom Casmurro
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy Gentleman
Don QuixoteGood to know
It's told in very short chapters, full of jokes and digressions.
By the numbers
- Readers82 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller23 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
More by Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis
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Quick answers
Is The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #1,019 of the 3,057 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 73.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas about?
Narrated by a dead man looking back on his life, Machado de Assis's novel is one of the wittiest, most playful books ever written. The author, the mixed-race grandson of formerly enslaved people, is Brazil's most celebrated writer.
How long does it take to read The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas?
About 9 hours (370 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas?
If you liked it, try Dom Casmurro by Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy Gentleman by Laurence Sterne or Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes.