Macunama

It is the dawn of the 20th century, and deep in the Amazon Rainforest is born a mischievous boy named Macunaíma, who is destined to become the hero of the Brazilian people. After losing a jade pendant that was a gift from his first love, it falls into the hands of a man-eating giant who lives in São Paulo, and Macunaíma is forced to leave his lush forest home for the first time to go to the big city to retrieve it. Along the way, he encounters a panoply of Amazonian gods and Brazilian historical figures, and must escape their ruses and ploys with cunning deception. When he finally reaches the sprawling metropolis, with its violent machines, bustling traffic, and towering buildings, it is nothing like anything he has ever seen. But determined to retrieve his pendant, he contends with unfamiliar new monsters of modernity as he hunts down the giant.

With its vibrant blend of folklore, mythology, and satire of modern industrial society (all richly annotated herein), Macunaíma provides readers with a thrilling tour of Brazil's dynamic culture and history. First published in 1928, it has emerged as one of the great classics of Latin American literature, and is brought to readers of English in this smart new translation from Carl Engel.