Macunaíma: The Hero with No Character

By Mário de Andrade

Book Overview

Here at last is an exciting new edition of the Brazilian modernist epic Macuna ma: The Hero with No Character, by M rio de Andrade. This landmark 1928 novel follows the adventures of the shapeshifting Macuna ma and his brothers as they leave their Amazon home for a whirlwind tour of Brazil, cramming four centuries and a continental expanse into a single mythic plane. Having lost a magic amulet, the hero and his brothers journey to S o Paulo to retrieve the talisman that has fallen into the hands of an Italo-Peruvian captain of industry (who is also a cannibal giant). Written over six delirious days--the fruit of years of study--Macuna ma magically synthesizes dialect, folklore, anthropology, mythology, flora, fauna, and pop culture to examine Brazilian identity. This brilliant translation by Katrina Dodson has been many years in the making and includes an extensive section of notes, providing essential context for this magnificent work.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0811227022
• ISBN13: 9780811227025
• Release Date: April 2023
• Publisher: New Directions Publishing Corporation
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Amazing and Nuts

Mario de Andrade's Macunaíma is a "Sui Generis" book that shows the high-level of Brazilians authors literature, with a so well-humorated and creative history that keeps you hooked with the book all the time. The mix of all brazilians folklore is something great and nice to read and learn. Try...It's pretty good!!!!!!!!!

A landmark in Brazilian contemporary literature

Mario de Andrade - writer, folklorist, musician, poet - published "Macunaíma, the hero with no character" in the 20s. It's a fantastic trip throughout Brazilian culture, music, ethnic origins, geography, folklore, all sewed together in the delicious adventures of the ultimate Brazilian, Macunaima. He's born an Indian, becomes Black, and then White, and never loses contact with his previous lives. It's not just exotic, magic and adventurous. It's intelligent, challenging, first class literature.