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190 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1908
"There is nothing like the passion of love to give originality to what is commonplace and novelty to what is dying of old age. (146)The Wager or Memorial de Aires is de Assis's final work, completed several months before he died. It is written in diary form, containing the daily accounts, reflections, and memories of a retired, ageing, and solitary diplomat named Aires. Not much happens in the way of plot; the story begins with a wager between Aires and his sister Rita that a beautiful widow whom they observe in a cemetery will or will not remarry; the rest of the novel traces the wager's outcome. There is a kind of circularity to the story, which does not move far from its starting point—not much changes, physically, in the end—yet its beauty resides in the little changes that do occur, and these will be perceived and felt by those who appreciate subtlety. It was an emotional ending for me, which was partly due to the story itself, but mostly because this was—and truly felt like—Machado's last statement. It is not to be missed, especially if you love the man (as you should).
"...the young have the right to live and to love, and to leave the dead and the aged behind them with no regrets. (165)