Quincas Borba

by Machado de Assis, Abel Barros Baptista (Postface), Clara Rowland (Postface)

Quincas Borba é o filósofo demente, inventor de uma doutrina desvairadamente optimista, que morre no penúltimo capítulo do romance Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas. Reaparece no romance seguinte de Machado de Assis, este Quincas Borba, morrendo outra vez mas agora no começo. Deixa um cão, a quem deu o seu próprio nome, e vasto património, legado a um inopinado herdeiro universal, certo Rubião, com a condição de tratar do cão «como se cão não fosse, mas pessoa humana». Adivinha‑se a extravagância que espera o leitor a cada capítulo; e de facto trata‑se do mais desconcertante romance de Machado de Assis. Entre divagação e narração, a imaginação vai prevalecendo sobre os factos, e num mesmo tecido enredam‑se a herança e o cão, a loucura e a paixão amorosa, a força do dinheiro e o poder da dívida — e o riso! «A sombra da sombra de uma lembrança grotesca» — lê‑se a certa altura — «projeta‑se no meio da paixão mais aborrecível»… a comédia é cruel, o desastre, inevitável. Talvez seja o supremo exemplo da arte literária de Machado de Assis.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Brazil, Literature, Portuguese Literature, Romance, Novels

464 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1892

About the author

Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, often known as Machado de Assis, Machado, or Bruxo do Cosme Velho, (June 21, 1839, Rio de Janeiro—September 29, 1908, Rio de Janeiro) was a Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short story writer. He is widely regarded as the most important writer of Brazilian literature. However, he did not gain widespread popularity outside Brazil in his own lifetime.
Machado's works had a great influence on Brazilian literary schools of the late 19th century and 20th century. José Saramago, Carlos Fuentes, Susan Sontag and Harold Bloom are among his admirers and Bloom calls him "the supreme black literary artist to date."

Reviews

[Deepthi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let us talk about sanity and insanity for a while:
How do you differentiate sanity and insanity? If you were sane before, how would you know that you have started to become insane? Is there a sign or system to detect the change? If I am sane, and I discover that I am losing my sanity, should I run for a cure or should I become a spectator and witness my insanity engulfing everything that is left sane within? Ok, leave that. If I, with my personal intuition, find that a person I know is turning insane, I should try to help him/her, right? I should try and make that person “normal”. Yes, I should help. Or does that person really need help? Who am I to judge and decide? After all, he/she is more visibly happy than his/her former “sane self”. Ok, leave that. To quote Machado de Assis, all these are nothing but “questions impregnated with questions”. Let’s move forward.

Let’s talk about Machado de Assis for a while:
After reading Dom Casmurro and Devil’s Church and Other Stories, I immediately picked up Quincas Borba. Usually, I do not read an author’s works consequently, but De Assis left me with no choice. It is very unfortunate that his creative talent is almost unrecognized outside Brazil. His prose is filled with irony, satire, wit and wisdom. At times, I found myself laughing out loud and at times, my eyes were moist with tears. At times, he reminded me of Hamsun and at times, of Proust. This does not mean that he lacks originality but quite the contrary. His mastery lies in the simplicity of his prose which evokes complexity. It amuses the heart and at the same time demands the mind to ponder.

So, dear reader (as De Assis addresses), please read his works if you haven’t already. Who knows, you might end up discovering a new favorite author for yourself. When you read his novel, you would discover a web being created around you. Machado de Assis creates this web without your consciousness and permission. This is the web of his characters, their thoughts, your thoughts, their happiness, your sorrows; all merging into one. As you would turn the final page of his novel, the web would mercilessly spit you out into your own reality. You would then discover, dear reader, that an unfamiliar part of you has been left behind in the web. Whose web? Assis’s web? Your web? Who knows! Let's move forward.

Let’s talk about Quincas Borba for a while :
As you might have already guessed, this book deals with sanity, insanity and everything in between. This story starts with Quincas Borba, an old philosopher(who might be insane) and his dog who is named after him. After his death, the old philosopher leaves his wealth and dog for Rubiao, a poor ex-teacher who took care of the philosopher in his final days. Rubiao constructs a vague belief that Quinca Borba-the philosopher’s soul might have taken shelter in Quincas Borba-the dog’s body. But that is another story.

Now, Rubiao is rich. With wealth, come friends. In no time, his social circle increases in circumference. He gets introduced to Palha and his wife, Dona Sophia. Sophia, being attractive and graceful, instantly captures Rubiao’s heart. At first, he consoles himself that it would be highly immoral to expect anything minutely similar to his feelings in return. But love, as love, is supposed to be love, Rubiao declares his love to Sophia(who later falls in love with Carlos Maria). She declines. And thus, our poor Rubiao’s plight begins. What happens to him, his love and his dog? I would leave that for the future reader to discover.

Along with the already mentioned characters, this novel includes some other vital characters who live their lives in parallel to Rubiao’s. Most of these are shades of grey, instead of being just black or white. And maybe, this is what makes them seem real; almost familiar. My two most favorite characters were Quincas Borba-the dog and Quincas Borba-the philosopher; in the same order. Though these two characters just fill a mere couple of pages of the novel, they act as a foundation for rest of the story. Their presence is felt throughout. Along with Rubiao’s, it is the shadows of these two which haunt the reader afterwards.

Let’s move forward.

Some after-thoughts which will take only a while:
The conclusion of this story leaves the reader with some unanswered questions. One of them would be: "This novel got its title from the dog or the philosopher?" Hard to tell. Like mentioned before, there is a lot of merging and faint lines the reader has to deal with.

Let’s move forward.

Like Carlos Maria, some of us choose to remain sane all our lives. Like Sophia, some of us choose insanity over sanity. Like Rubiao, some of us naturally turn insane. Whose life and fate is better than the rest? Who is more happy and content than the rest? Who knows!

Let’s move forward.

I must confess, the last page of my copy has a stain of my tears that were shed while reading the final lines. I turned the back cover of the book into its initial position and closed my eyes to muse over the prose. A faint image of 'Quincas Borba-the dog' appeared in front of my eyes. His image became stronger and clear as he wagged his tail and demanded affection. I imagined myself jumping and hopping with him. We ran after one another, later cuddled to sleep and dreamt about Rubiao and 'Quincas Borba-the philosopher', whom we loved dearly. I hoped it made him happy. I soon discovered that, I too had left an unfamiliar part of me in the web that was around me a few moments ago. My web? Assis’s web? Who knows! And I wouldn’t want to know.

Let’s move forward.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alea jacta est. The die is cast. Literally.

Quincas Borba named his puppy dog after himself. Why? Borba had no family so why not leave the dog with his own name. A legacy of sorts. Not long after, Quincas Borba the philosopher dies leaving the puppy and his fortune to his only friend, Rubião a professor teaching in Barbacena, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Rubião is rich now. So why bother teaching when he can do what he wants. He decides to move to charming Rio de Janeiro and enjoy his new wealth. On the way to the big city, he meets a nice couple, Cristiano Palha and his charming wife Sofia. Rubião, who is bubbling with excitement and the new puppy, tells the couple about his new found wealth.

Did anyone ever tell you not to speak to strangers as a child? Well, it holds true for adults as well. Another big problem is Rubião, who is not really well-versed with women, and as you can tell, falls for Cristiano’s beautiful wife. Did anyone ever tell you not to chase a married women, Rubião? Especially in front of their husband? When they might be conspiring to get their hands on your money?

Rubião gets involved with Cristiano, who is a banker and eventually even into politics with another friend, Dr. Camacho. Then one day he saves a poor child, Deolindo. The press makes him a hero and things start going to his head. The politics of the day keep him busy as well. He has friends everywhere.

Wouldn’t it be great if he got married? How about Maria Benedita, a cousin to Sofia. Maybe he can get over his crush on Sofia? It might have worked except she has eyes for Carlos Maria, Rubião’s good looking friend. Losing another good looking woman doesn’t bode well for our Rubião.

One day Rubião gets a bust of Napoleon III. And then he “becomes” Napoleon III. Literally. Wouldn’t it be nice if Sofia could divorce her husband and she would become his empress Eugénie? Of course, when he gets word that poor Napoleon III loses the war to Prussia in 1870, Rubião can’t face the facts, and really loses it. As if thinking you are Napoleon III isn’t losing it already? “Ao vencedor, as batatas.” You are potatoes, Rubião!

Over the last few years I must tell you that the two most enjoyable writers that I have read are Eça de Queirós of Portugal and Machado de Assis of Brazil. They both have this way with telling stories with a bit of moralizing about people who really get themselves into trouble (and sometimes get out of trouble). Both lived around the same time, the latter half of the nineteenth century. Their works are an astute commentary on manners, customs and people of their times. Oddly, we can see the same things happening today.

How on earth did Machado write this? Obviously a scathing attack on the current Brazilian government and society, one just feels for poor Rubião. I was surprised to learn that this was the middle book of a trilogy, between Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas e Dom Casmurro. Well this made the book even better as I enjoyed those other two books

The dog Quincas Borba? Let’s just say he fared better than Rubião.

Moral of the story? Never name your dog after yourself. A good piece of advice.

[K.J. Charles]

My least favourite Machado de Assis to date, can't win 'em all. Purports to be the story of a teacher who inherits a fortune and falls in love with a married woman; is actually a sly disembowelling of the wealthy urban milieu. The book is named after the dog who's named after the guy who left the inheritance, if that indicates something of the layers upon layers here. More clever than enjoyable for me, though still full of sparks of brilliance.

[Oziel Bispo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quincas Borba, um homem milionário e viúvo, deixa toda a fortuna para Rubião, professor de Barbacena ,nas Minas Gerais. Deixou também a Rubião a incumbência de cuidar de seu cão, também chamado Quincas Borba.

Com todo esse dinheiro na mão, parte juntamente com o cão , para o Rio de Janeiro, onde logo na chegada conhecem o casal liberal, Sônia e Cristiano Palha.Com o tempo, se tornam, amigos e sócios.

Sônia e Palha, diferente do que se imagina , trabalham para se aproveitar  da ingenuidade de Rubião, colocando o sob seus pés, e Sônia usando toda a sua beleza e sensualidade, irá  deixar o nosso amigo literalmente maluco.

Um livro realista do Gênio Machado de Assis, com uma crítica muito grande ao materialismo , ao capitalismo. O tema da traição, e da loucura , que sempre aparece nos livros de Machado de Assis, aqui retorna, trazendo nuances que às vezes até nos revolta.

Ótimo livro!!

[Arash · Rating 4 out of 5]

سهم فاتحان، سیب زمینی!

[emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Hygiene is the product of centuries of filth; it has come to us through millions of rotting and infected forebears. Nothing is lost, everything is gained. I repeat: The bubbles are still in the water. Do you see this book? It’s Don Quixote. If I destroy my copy, I won’t be destroying the work itself, for it lives on eternally in surviving copies and future editions. Eternally beautiful, beautifully eternal—.”’

Begins and ends with that tale about some fucking potatoes (allegorical obviously? most probably alluding to the Paraguayuan war (better explained in the intro. by the fantastic Margaret Jull Costa), Don't care much about the plot (to be fair) but everything else (the 'writing', or rather the 'translation'(?)) is spectacular (or least very much to my liking). Some have said it's not his best work, but what do I know - this is my first Machado de Assis - I have nothing else to compare to. Structurally (short chapters, etc.) really fits my current biblio 'mood(s)'. Something about it (would like to think it's more than just the use of 'dogs' in the narratives) reminds me of Cervantes' The Dialogue of the Dogs that I've read a bit of but have put aside (with intention to return to it at a later date). And the setting, in particular Botafogo reminds me of (my favourite) Clarice Lispector because she loves Botafogo FC. More coherent/better rtc later.

‘Imagine for a moment a field of potatoes and two starving tribes. There are only enough potatoes to feed one tribe, which would thereby gain sufficient strength to cross the mountains and reach the other slope, where there is an abundance of potatoes. But if the two tribes divided the field of potatoes between them peacefully, there wouldn’t be enough to nourish both tribes sufficiently, and they would all die of starvation. Peace, in this case, is destruction; war is preservation. One of the tribes exterminates the other and reaps the spoils. Hence the joy of victory, the hymns, acclamations, public recompense, and all the other effects of belligerent actions. If war was not thus, there would be no such response, for the practical reason that man only cherishes and commemorates what is pleasing or advantageous to him, and for the rational reason that no one extols an action that will potentially destroy them. To the vanquished, loathing or compassion; to the winner, the potatoes.’

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A trama gira em torno de Rubião, um humilde professor que herda uma fortuna do seu amigo Quincas Borba, um filósofo excêntrico. Com a fortuna vem também a promessa de que Rubião cuide do cão homónimo do defunto, Quincas Borba.

A história desenrola-se em finais do século XIX no Rio de Janeiro.
Rubião parte do seu lugarejo natal de Barbacena para o Rio, pois só aí acha que encontrará uma sociedade adequada ao seu novo estatuto de rico.

Pelo caminho encontra personagens que se aproveitam dele, que o usam, outros que lhe oferecem a amizade genuína. Rubião é um pouco ingénuo e simplório e tem alguma dificuldade em avaliar as intenções dos outros: entrega a gestão da sua fortuna a um indivíduo, o Palha, e apaixona-se desalmadamente pela mulher deste, Sofia, que é vazia por dentro e constantemente se rebola na sua beleza.

A escrita é viva e perspicaz, e deu bastante prazer à leitura. Enfureci-me bastantes vezes por ver Rubião tão ingénuo. Há um comentário à sociedade da altura que, com as relações falsas, os amigos que não o são de verdade, a ambição desmedida, infelizmente não difere muito daquilo que vemos acontecer actualmente.

[Malihe bayat · Rating 4 out of 5]

این کتاب ،دومین رمان مشهور از دآسیس هست که پیرو کتاب قبلی یعنی "خاطرات پس از مرگ کینکاس بوربا" نوشته شده
تو ریویوی گودریدز این کتاب نوشته که در مورد فیلسوفی به اسم کینکاس بوربا است که عقاید نامتعارفی داره..
اما در واقع تو این کتاب عقاید کینکاس بوربا شرح داده نشده..و برای آشنایی با شخصیت کینکاس بوربا بهتره اولین کتاب داسیس یعنی "خاطرات پس از مرگ کینکاس بوربا" رو مطالعه کنیم..
فهم این کتاب به نظرم سخت اومد... چون همه چیز به سادگی بیانش نیست.. و از هر فصلی میشه برداشت های متفاوتی داشت..
نویسنده مدام از کلمه ی خواننده ی هوشیار استفاده میکنه و آدم رو به چالش تفکر دقیق تر و نگاه چند بعدی به مسایل مطرح شده تو کتاب دعوت میکنه...
ولی با وجود پیچیدگی مفاهیم که در پوشش ساده ای بیان میشن روند داستانی کتاب گیرا و جذابه..
من این کتاب رو دوست داشتم و مایلم کتاب های دیگه ای هم از این نویسنده بخونم

[Miss Ravi · Rating 2 out of 5]

برای من از یه جایی (که اگه بهش اشاره کنم اسپول می‌شه) شبیه داستان‌های کسل‌کننده روسی شد که قصه اسیر تشریفات و تعارفات بیهوده شخصیت‌ها می‌شه و نمی‌فهمی این چیزها چه جذابیتی برای نویسنده داشته. دقیقاً از اون جنس اتفاقات که تأثیری هم توی پیش‌برد داستان ندارن. با شناختی که از نویسنده و رمان قبلیش داشتم فکر می‌کردم قراره کاملاً گم بشم تو دنیای این رمان و خیلی بهم خوش بگذره ولی خیلی هم شبیه خاطرات پس از مرگ براس کوباس نبود و حتی ربط خاصی هم بهش نداشت. قشنگ مشخصه همه اون سایت‌ها، پیج‌ها و آدم‌هایی که می‌گن این دو تا کتاب رو باید با هم بخونین فقط تا مقدمه مترجم رو خوندن یا ورق زدن.

[Moshtagh hosein · Rating 4 out of 5]

واقعا افسوس می‌خورم که این ترجمه های عبدالله کوثری و خصوصا ترجمه های ماشادو د آسیس رو چرا اینقدر دیر خواندم.

[Scott Hutchins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up in a used bookstore, because it has one of the best titles I've ever heard of. There's a question mark that isn't showing up on Goodreads -- it's "Philosopher or Dog?" (Also I have the little Avon paperback with its Rousseau-esque Latin American covers.) Machado de Assis is the Flaubert of Brazil, and his books (or at least the two I've read) have a suspense to them that isn't plot related but stems from the fact that he's always telling you exactly what you want to know next -- even if you didn't know that's what you wanted to hear. This is an amazing book.

[Marcela Ferreira · Rating 3 out of 5]

rubião fica divertido só no final, e eu tive vontade de meter um tapão na cara de 95% de todos os personagens, mas o final foi incrível então...

ao vencedor, as batatas.

[verena · Rating 3 out of 5]

coitado do cachorro

[Luciana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dentre a fase madura do autor, Quincas Borba situa-se entre Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas e Dom Casmurro; estando, portanto, entre as maiores obras de Machado, o presente livro não alçou o mesmo sucesso que os demais, todavia nem por isso se faz má a narrativa ali retratada, dado que o autor introduz o realismo, inovando a literatura da época com temas como a ascensão social, exploração moral, adultério e ambição, tudo isso permeando a narrativa com citações de Shakespeare.

Com anseio de expôr a sociedade da época, isto é, a do capital financeiro, Machado ambienta a trama a partir da fortuna recebida por Rubião, dada a partida de um amigo filósofo chamado Quincas Borba. Deslocando-se para a Corte, após liquidado o inventário, Rubião conhece ali dos mais variados tipos mesquinhos, que com ideais de grandeza conspurcam a alma do professor, desde o casal Palha até amigos e aliados políticos, nos quais estão em um jogo de oportunismo, que o leva a uma série de desastres: investe mal, interpreta mal, apaixona-se mal e acaba-se mal.

Retratando, portanto, a objetificação do homem, Machado cria uma narrativa parodiando a crença romântica na sinceridade humana, da falsidade, da existência de uma sociedade parasitária, do anseio por poder, tudo isso culminando em uma sociedade abjeta e com poucos valores morais. É, de tal modo, uma obra menor, um pouco menos empolgante que as citadas acima, mas ainda assim, expõe notavelmente o conflito moral que passou a sobressair no período.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The original files are provided by Fundação Biblioteca Nacional do Brasil

Page 99:
Vae se não quando, teve uma ideia extraordinaria, a de serem os dous Quincas Borbas a mesma creatura, por effeito da entrada da alma do defunto no corpo do cachorro, menos a purgar; os seus peccados que a vigiar o dono. Foi uma preta de S. João d’El-rei que lhe metteu, em creança, essa ideia de transmigração. Dizia ella que a alma cheia de peccados ia para o corpo de um bruto; chegou a jurar que conhecera um escrivão que acabou feito gambá...

[Walter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quincas Borba é uma obra que me interessava muito ler porque me tinham dito que continha uma dose boa de filosofia. Após findar a leitura, zanguei-me porque essa dose (pequeníssima) só podia ser encontrada nas primeiras páginas do livro. Depois, sim, há breves devaneios que convidam à reflexão, mas a narrativa começa a se centrar naquilo que o realismo acostuma apresentar: psicologia das personagens, retrato da elite etc. Desta forma, Quincas Borba avança de maneira horizontal, apresentando a vida de um protagonista: Rubião e outros sujeitos da alta sociedade.

Não se pode dizer que "Quincas Borba" seja uma obra dinâmica, fulgurante, rica em acontecimentos, mas sim que se pode afirmar que tem matizes interessantes para serem debatidos e ligados com algumas particularidades tóxicas da sociedade atual. Contudo, por muitas vezes a estória não avança, mantém-se em Stand-by, dificultando, assim, a vontade do leitor de querer ler uma página mais. Mas, claro, Machado é Machado e o que importa não é tanto o que acontece, mas como acontece. Nesse sentido, Quincas Borba é uma obra machadiana com todas as letras.

[محمدحسین بنـکدارتهرانی · Rating 4 out of 5]

من این کتاب و کتاب پیشینش خاطرات پس از مرگ براس کوباس را بنا به توصیه استادگران‌قدر دکتر محمدعلی موحد خواندم و از عمق فلسفی، طنز ناب و نوع روایت کتاب لذت بردم.
کمابیش کنار بیشتر برگ‌های کتاب یادداشت نوشتم.

[Zahra Mahboubi · Rating 4 out of 5]

به نظرم لازمه یه وقتی دوباره بخونمش تا بتونم کامل بفهممش...
ماشادو واقعا قصه‌گوی قهاریه.

[Lobstergirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is some Turgenev-quality writing about dogs, here:

“Poor Quincas Borba! You like your master, don’t you? Rubião’s a very good friend of Quincas Borba.”

And the dog slowly moved his head from left to right, helping to distribute the caresses to the two drooping ears.

[Amirsaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

«وقتی ستایش او در میان بود، همه ی آدم ها بخشی از بشریت بودند.»
*
یک؛ برخلاف تصورم کتاب هیچ ارتباطی به «خاطرات پس از مرگ» ندارد و جدا از آن کاملا قابل بررسی است. من کتاب دیگری از ماشادو نخواندم ولی با خواندنِ این شاهکار، بی اندازه ترغیب شدم.
دو؛ ماشادو د آسیس در کینکاس بوربا نوعی فاصله گذاری در روایت را رعایت می کند که بسیار جذاب و طنز آمیز است. راوی خودْ صداقتِ روایت را زیر سوال می برد و با مخاطب شوخی می کند!

[Ana Castro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nunca viste ferver água? Hás-de lembrar-te que as bolhas fazem-se e desfazem-se de contínuo, e tudo fica na mesma água . Os indivíduos são essas bolhas transitórias “

…” isto da política pode ser comparado à paixão de Nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo; não falta nada, nem o discípulo que nega, nem o discípulo que vende. Coroa de espinhos, bofetadas, e afinal morre-se na cruz das ideias, pregado pelos cravos da inveja , da calunia e da ingratidão.”




Rubião o ingénuo professor de Barbacena recebe uma herança do filósofo Quincas Borba (nosso conhecido e amigo do defunto Brás Cubas) .
Vai para o Rio de Janeiro e sofre a perfídia, as traições, as invejas, as ambições duma sociedade corrompida .
É extraordinário como Machado descreve o que vai dentro da alma humana, as variações do pensamento, as mudanças do sentir: a ousadia e a vergonha , a ambição e a modéstia , a traição e a honestidade, vou não vou, faço não faço , a dúvida sistemática , o sim e o não que cada um sente dentro de si .
E as conversas tão verdadeiras e autênticas que parece que estamos lá a ouvi-los ao vivo .
Um espanto de escrita e de poder de observação .

3 livros de seguida do grande Machado que li em 2 semanas para cumprir o meu “chalenge “ deste ano - 36 livros .
Vou ser menos ambiciosa no próximo ano para me permitir ler alguns calhamaços .

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Regular guy from the provinces provides care and attention to a dying philosopher who leaves him all his money and property provided he care for his pet dog after he dies.

Said regular guy moves to Rio to live in his inherited mansion.

Naturally, he is an easy mark for them city slickers who enable him to slowly but surely spend his inheritance.

Without clear explanation, said regular guy begins to lose his mind and he's sure he's the Emperor Napoleon.

Eventually, he escapes back to his home town in the provinces where he soon expires, followed by the dog. The End.

I imagine a student of Brazilian literature would find this charming, but really, it was a bit of a snooze..........

[Steven R. Kraaijeveld · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Moral quilts made of one piece are so rare!" (79)

[Maria Ferreira · Rating 4 out of 5]

- Ao vencedor, as batatas!
Machado de Assis tem um humor subtil, muito interessante. Gosto da escrita dele, muito metafórica, mas com um propósito definido.

Quincas Borba é um cão, herdou o nome de um homem, seu dono, filósofo, rico e boa pessoa. Quincas Borba, o homem, morre e deixa uma herança, toda a sua fortuna é para Rubião, simples amigo, mas este tem de cuidar do seu cão e providenciar para que nada lhe falte, daí Rubião ter atribuído ao cão o nome do seu grande e fiel amigo.

Rubião, é um homem muito generoso, simplório sem noção do dinheiro e conhece o casal Palha, apaixona-se perdidamente pela mulher deste e o marido torna-se seu sócio e é este quem cuida de toda a sua fortuna.

Rubião é bem aceite na corte e vive os seus dias áureos, admirado e aplaudido por toda a sociedade, é convidado pela alta sociedade para tudo o que é baile e festim, mas continua a ser um simples e generoso homem, sem qualquer vestígio de maldade, muito amigos aparecem na sua casa para almoçar e jantar e fumar dos seus charutos.

Enquanto o casal Palha enriquece e sobe na sociedade Rubião definha e enlouquece à medida que a sua fortuna desaparece.

Esta história representa uma sátira à sociedade, nela, o autor expõe as negociatas políticas, os interesses financeiros, os “casamentos” interesseiros, o adultério, o chico-espertismo. Mas contado com muito humor, é muito bom…

[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, dear reader, I began writing my first draft of this review with a quote from the book: "After all, dear reader, life is composed of no more than four or five situations which only the accompanying circumstances appear to vary and multiply." I intended to point out that this was a perfect self-referential summary for the events that happen within the book. I then proceeded to describe the author's strategic demolition of the fourth wall and the other various features of the writing that I enjoyed. You may be wondering, dear reader, why none of those features are henceforth mentioned. I'll tell you. It was just prior to posting that I decided to take another peek at the existing reviews, which I had not looked at since long before I began reading this book. It was here that I came across the review left by my dear friend, Will Redman. Disturbingly, he mentioned the same two quotes I had planned to use in my review and drew the same initial connection as me. This made me ponder whether it was subconscious plagiarism or whether I am in fact Will Redman. Though I cannot change my facial hair to match his, I do feel a creeping horror that either he is me or me is he. We may never know the truth of the matter, but I leave you, dear reader, with a question and an exclamation: Between Will and myself, who is the philosopher and who is the dog? To the victor, the potatoes!

[Mateus Pavanelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esse é daqueles romances que dou graças a Deus por ter lido anos depois de terminado o ensino médio.
A estória da conta de aspectos que transcendem em muito a mera trama entre personagens da alta elite carioca do século xix. A partir de uma construção psicológica muito bem feita das personagens, Machado consegue sutilmente tecer críticas aos modos de agir e pensar da burguesia brasileira. Os caprichos, o modus vivendi espetacularizado, o desprezo com personagens economicamente e socialmente fragilizadas (a exemplo do casal Palha que, ao ascenderem à elite, desprezam seu velho amigo, major Siqueira; ou a solidão de Rubião frente ao seu declínio), e até mesmo a mentalidade científica racionalizadora da época permeiam a obra, com ar satírico, e não menos genial.
Recomendo fortemente.

[Czarny Pies · Rating 3 out of 5]

Machado de Assis is an extraordinary satirist of the grasping manners of the bourgeoisie of 19th century Brazil. In this book he shows that it is a dog's life for everyone including the poor dogs.

This book is extremely funny. Brazilian society was very much like that of the USA in the 19th century in that neither country had an aristocracy and both still had slavery. American readers will feel very much at home with this excellent novel from the Mark Twain of the Southern hemisphere.

[Walkíria · Rating 5 out of 5]

2021

Como sempre Machado de Assis ensinando as consequências das decisões que tomamos na vida!
excelente livro!!

update 2022

Além de ensinar sobre as consequências da vida, temos o ensinamento que dinheiro pode até te deslocar de classe social, porém não insere socialmente falando na mesma. Essa foi a dificuldade de Rubião pois não tinha cultura e com isso acabou sendo enganado e tirado proveito pelas pessoas mal intencionadas como o Palha. Triste e Feliz foi seu fim, triste pois ele perdeu todas as suas riquezas, sanidade e "amigos", porém feliz porque ele finalmente entendeu a filosofia de Quincas Borba "Ao vencedor, as batatas!".

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quincas Borba é o nome do filósofo de quem Rubião se tornou herdeiro universal, com a condição de sempre cuidar e manter o seu cão, que recebeu o nome do dono. E de facto Quincas Borba é o único verdadeiro amigo de Rubião, que de rico e desejado passa a pobre e louco. Numa sociedade hipócrita em que as mulheres são troféus dos maridos bem sucedidos e os escravos estão lá e ninguém os vê, todos parecem seguir a teoria do filósofo, para quem o mundo é dos mais fortes, daqueles que perseguem os fins sem querer saber dos meios.

[Ehsan Sharei · Rating 4 out of 5]

پیش از آن که عذابِ دمِ مرگ - که بسی کوتاه بود - شروع شود، تاج را بر سر گذاشت. تاجی که حتی کلاهی کهنه هم نبود تا بیننده را به توهُم بیندازد. هیچ را گرفت، هیچ را بلند کرد و هیچ را بر سر گذاشت. فقط خودش بود که نشان امپراطوری را، سنگین از طلا و درخشان از الماس، پیش چشم دید. تلاشی که برای بلند شدن کرد نیمه کاره ماند و پیکرش باز فرو افتاد. چهره‌اش اما جلال و جبروتی گرفت.
زیر لب گفت: «مراقب تاج من باش.» سیمایش حالتی جدی گرفت، چرا که مرگ جدی است. چند لحظه عذاب، شکلکی هول آور، و بعد، مرگ.