"The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas" by Joaquim Maria Machado De Assis

* Venue TBA.
!Beware of scams & false impersonation! We do not feature new authors or charge a speaker fee but wish you the best.
Country: Brazil
Written in: 1881
Pages: 238
I'm always on the lookout for great books from countries that aren't always well represented in classic canons lists, and someone recommended this book from Brazil in our December Suggestions page.
Written with irony, charm and seasoned with dark humour, many critics hail it as one of the best books you've never heard of.

Here's an excerpt from a review from The Chicago Review of Books:
The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas builds on a macabre conceit—Brás Cubas, already dead, is recounting his adventures from beyond the grave. This vantage point allows Brás Cubas to talk about his life with the kind of blithe irony and callousness only accessible to those who have nothing to lose or gain. Brás Cubas was born wealthy with high expectations. However, success and security elude him all his life. He falls in love a few times, but he doesn’t get to marry or start a family. His political career never takes off. At the end of his life, such is his detachment from the world that he decides to dedicate his memoirs not to any person, but to the first worm to gnaw the cold flesh of his corpse.
*****
New to the Hungry Hundred Book Club? Here's what you need to know:

1. Read the book (If you don't manage to finish it by the meetup date, don't worry. As long as you're not going to be too disappointed by spoilers, you're still welcome to join.)
2. Come to the meeting, usually (but not always!) on the last Sunday of every month.
3. Be prepared to order food/drink at the venue to show our appreciation for letting us use their space. This is a requirement. A lot of time and effort has been put into finding a place that will accommodate our group without an outrageous minimum charge or rental fee, and you'll never be asked to contribute to organiser fees, so please show your respect and support for the restaurant that's letting us use their space.
4. Discuss! It's a casual conversation, so don't be afraid to ask questions and let us know what you think.
5. Starting in May 2026, attendance fees collected will be split 50% towards Meetup platform fees, and 50% donated to the Singapore Book Council (or other Singapore based charitable organisation). Once Meetup platform fees are covered, 100% will be given to charity.