Lima Barreto

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Afonso Henriques de Lima Barreto (May 31, 1881 - November 1, 1922) was a Brazilian author, who wrote one of the country's classics, Triste Fim de Policarpo Quaresma or Tragic death of..., describing the adventures of a music- and book-loving odd-ball confronted with Brazil's peculiarities at the turn of the century.

[edit] Life

Lima Barreto was born in Rio de Janeiro to a poor family of mixed race (mestiço). He became a public servant and wrote as a journalist and novelist at the same time. He led a life affected by alcoholism and psychiatric inverventions.

A sharp social critic, his novel Triste Fim de Policarpo Quaresma, takes up the 1910 Sailors’ "Revolt Against the Lash", & has gone through many printings.

An anarchist, his journalistic pieces included writing for the labor & anarchist press, such as "A Plebe, "A Voz do Trabalhador" & "A Lanterna."