Book Recommendations

In this page you will find some of my favourite books, and a brief synopsis for each of them. They are listed in alphabetical order, and the ordering does not represent my personal ranking. For more information on which books I own and enjoy, please visit my personal library.

• ASSIS, Machado de. Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas

  In the late 1800s in Brazil, it was quite common for people to write their memories in a book before dying. Normally, these books would be filled with good words about the people who could help their families, so they weren't so trustworthy. Assis then creates a satire of this by creating a character, Brás Cubas, who writes whis memoir after his death, so he doesn't have to be flattering to anyone.

• BRADBURY, Ray. Fahrenheit 451

  In a world of the future, firemen no longer are needed to put out fires; instead, they burn places down to destroy prohibited books. This classic deals deeply with the concept of censorship, and its ideas reflect what has been noticed in the acts of governments. A must read for everyone.

• FILHO, Mario. O Negro no Futebol Brasileiro

  Mario Filho tells the history of Brazilian football by focusing on the acceptance and rejection of black players in teams and leagues.

• GARCÍA MARQUEZ, Gabriel. Cien Años de Soledad

  The story takes place in the fictional Colombian village of Macondo, and follows the life of the Buendía family through one hundred years of the village's quasi-isolation from the rest of the world. The core of the story is this deeply entrenched relation in between the family and the village. From the synopsis alone, this may sound like a boring book, but it is one of the best I have ever read.

• LEE, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird

  A black man is accused of killing a white girl. Only one lawyer in town can defend him in court. You follow this conundrum from the eyes of the lawyer's youngest daughter, who is still too young to truly understand what is happening. This is one of the most important books of all time. It also had a great movie adaptation in 1962, starring Gregory Peck. A must read, and a must watch as well.

• ORWELL, George. 1984

  In the year 1984, the world as we know has been taken over and governed by an authoritarian socialist party and its leader, the Big Brother. You follow Winston Smith, who works for the government by rewriting history, and his journey for finding out the truh of how the world works. This is a great novel of how governments can control even what people think. It is a cautionary tale that reminds you at all times of the importance of being aware.

• SARAMAGO, José. Ensaio sobre a Cegueira

  Out of nowhere, people start getting blind. It quickly escalates, and people are taken to an abandoned hospice until they heal. This book provides a good sample of what people are capable of doing when all hope is lost, and also of the importance of being able to see when everyone has gone blind.

• SPIEGELMAN, Art. Maus

  A comic book about the life of jews during the Nazi occupation of Poland. It uses animals as an allegory to the situation.

• VERNE, Júlio. Around the World in 80 Days

  An adventure book about a man who decides he can go around the world in just eighty days. A good read if you like adventures, though some parts clearly show the vision of European people of the time of its publishing.

• ZUSAK, Markus. The Book Thief

  This book tells the story of a girl, Liesel, who lives under German rule during the times of World War II. Due to some circumstances, she ends up stealing a book. Books end up becoming an important part of her identity during these hard times. The story has an interesting point of view, being told by Death herself. A good read for those interested in these topics.