Nos contos de Machado de Assis, a análise psicológica, a fina ironia e o estilo conciso associam-se para estabelecer um quadro crítico e bem-humorado da sociedade brasileira do século XIX. As histórias reunidas nestas três antologias prendem a atenção do leitor do começo ao fim, revelando o grande domínio que o autor tinha desse gênero. A causa secreta; Conto de escola; Pai contra mãe; O enfermeiro; O caso da vara; Noite de almirante; Um apólogo; O espelho; Umas férias; Missa do Galo; A igreja do diabo; A cartomante.
Author
Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, often known as Machado de Assis, Machado, or Bruxo do Cosme Velho, (June 21, 1839, Rio de Janeiro—September 29, 1908, Rio de Janeiro) was a Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short story writer. He is widely regarded as the most important writer of Brazilian literature. However, he did not gain widespread popularity outside Brazil in his own lifetime. Machado's works had a great influence on Brazilian literary schools of the late 19th century and 20th century. José Saramago, Carlos Fuentes, Susan Sontag and Harold Bloom are among his admirers and Bloom calls him "the supreme black literary artist to date."
