Graciliano Ramos

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Graciliano Ramos (born in Quebrângulo, state of Alagoas, October 27, 1892, died in Rio de Janeiro, March 20, 1953) was widely considered one of the most important Brazilian authors of the 20th century. He was a seminal voice in the literary "regionalism" movement.

Ramos grew up in many cities of Northeastern Brazil, characterized by poverty and severe weather conditions (droughts). After high-school, Graciliano went to Rio de Janeiro where he worked as journalist. In 1915 he traveled to Palmeira dos Indios, state of Alagoas, to live with his father and in 1927 he was elected mayor.

In 1933 he published his first book, Caetés. Some years after he was jailed by the Getúlio Vargas government, on a charge that was never made clear. His experiences in jail would become a unique personal deposition, Memórias do Cárcere.

Graciliano died in 1953, at the age of 60. His "dry" style of writing and the conflict between the id and the world are the significative traces of his works.