Mr. Quincas Borba

By Maria Machado de Assis

Mr. Quincas Borba is one of the most celebrated novels of Brazilian literature, written by the master storyteller Maria Machado de Assis, whose works shaped the intellectual and moral landscape of nineteenth-century Brazil.

Blending satire, philosophy, and psychological insight, this novel follows Rubi o, a humble schoolteacher who unexpectedly inherits a vast fortune from his eccentric friend, Quincas Borba. With wealth comes power, and with power comes illusion. Guided by a strange doctrine known as Humanitism, Rubi o enters the refined world of Rio de Janeiro society, where ambition, desire, and manipulation quietly rule human relations.

Machado de Assis exposes the contradictions of social progress and the fragility of human reason with sharp irony and subtle compassion. His narrative reveals how pride, love, and madness intertwine beneath the polished surface of civilization.

A cornerstone of Brazilian realism, Mr. Quincas Borba stands as a timeless reflection on human vanity and moral blindness, confirming Machado de Assis as one of the greatest voices in Latin American literature.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GLF1Q7YN
• ISBN13: 9798246781784
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 210 Pages
• Weight: 0.63 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"