The best books by Machado de Assis
The top 3 according to 3 votes from people: Quincas Borba · Esau and Jacob · The Fortune-Teller. (Updated Mar 7, 2026.)
The novels and stories by the 'Wizard of Cosme Velho' that top critics' and readers' lists (Literatour, BookNet, Scup), from Dom Casmurro to Counselor Ayres' Memorial.
Automatically translated (original in Português). See the original
Top 10
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1
Quincas Borba
1891. Rubião inherits the fortune and the dog of a mad philosopher: 'To the victor, the potatoes!'
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2
Esau and Jacob
1904. Rival twins, one monarchist and one republican, in love with the same woman.
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3
The Fortune-Teller
1884. A love triangle and a fortune-teller in Rio de Janeiro.
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4
Dom Casmurro
1899. Bentinho and the eternal doubt about Capitu; the starting point almost everyone recommends.
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5
The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas
1881. A dead author tells his life story; it shares the top of the lists with Dom Casmurro.
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6
The Alienist
1882. Dr. Simão Bacamarte locks the whole town of Itaguaí in his asylum.
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7
Counselor Ayres' Memorial
1908. His last novel, a diary about old age and love.
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8
The Mirror
1882. A story about the 'exterior soul' of an ensign who can't recognise himself without his uniform.
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9
Midnight Mass
1893. A young man and a married woman talk on Christmas Eve; one of the most perfect stories in the language.
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10
Helena
1876. A novel from his early phase, recommended for beginners.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 10… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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11
Iaiá Garcia
Novel from 1878, the last of the so-called romantic phase of Machado de Assis.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (7)
A Cartomante, aquele final 😱
Memórias Póstumas é mais genial, o defunto autor!
Missa do Galo é o conto mais perfeito da literatura brasileira.
Dom Casmurro em primeiro e a eterna dúvida: Capitu traiu ou não traiu?
Pra mim não traiu, é tudo ciúme do Bentinho.
O Alienista é curtinho e muito divertido, recomendo pra quem quer começar no Machado.
Faltou Iaiá Garcia.