João do Rio: An Anthology

Historical anthology of texts by the author honored at Flip 2024 returns to bookstores with a new cover.

It's difficult to distinguish where journalism ends and literature begins in João do Rio's work. Born João Paulo Alberto Coelho Barreto, he made his debut early, at 17, in the magazine Cidade do Rio , and just two years later began contributing to Gazeta de Notícias , a periodical that would publish the texts that would make him immortal in Brazilian literature.

João do Rio was, above all, an observer of the streets, customs, and people. A flâneur . With brilliance and verbal ingenuity, he immortalized the beginning of the century, the modernization of Brazil, and especially of the capital of the Republic, Rio de Janeiro. Reports, short stories, and chronicles form the scope of his work. He was like a photographer—a profession that was becoming popular—and created a portrait of an era by writing about a country discovering itself and creating its own humor: ironic, satirical, and vivid, illustrated by electric poles, automobiles, cinemas, theaters, modern girls , and dandyism.

Luís Martins, who curated and introduced this anthology, is also an award-winning journalist, writer, and, of course, columnist. A disciple of João do Rio, he understands and describes the city, its inhabitants, and its mysteries. Martins specifically selected texts for this anthology from classics such as The Enchanting Soul of the Streets , The Religions of Rio, Cinematógrafo: Crónicas Cariocas , Vertiginous Life , and Correspondence from a Healing Station , among others.

In this selection, we can discover João do Rio's bohemian genius, with his sharp eyes and sharp pen. Like a time machine, this anthology transports us to the beginning of the last century and helps us understand how João do Rio achieved the feat of being elected immortal of the Brazilian Academy of Letters at the age of 29. In the words of Luís Martins: "In the history of Brazilian chronicles, there is a period before—and one after—João do Rio." Here we have the best record of this.