{"id":40141,"date":"2017-11-14T12:19:11","date_gmt":"2017-11-14T15:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/?p=40141"},"modified":"2025-08-07T12:07:05","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T15:07:05","slug":"11-books-written-by-residents-of-rios-favelas-book-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=40141","title":{"rendered":"Eleven Books by Rio Favela Authors [BOOK REVIEW]"},"content":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Por<\/strong>tugu\u00eas<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

For the original in Portuguese by Michel Silva<\/a> published by Favela em Pauta click here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Writer Carolina Maria de Jesus<\/a> (1914-1977) left a mark on Brazilian literature with the publication of the book\u00a0Child of the Dark<\/em><\/a>, in 1960, in which she relayed the day to day misery of a poor, black woman\u2014a mother, writer and favela resident\u2014in her diary. Other published books by Carolina de Jesus include\u00a0Bitita’s Diary<\/em> (1982), Meu Estranho Di\u00e1rio<\/em> (‘My Strange Diary’, 1996), Antologia Pessoal (‘Personal Anthology’, 1996), and Onde Estaes Felicidade (‘Where Are You, Happiness’, 2014).<\/p>\n

Publishing a novel in Brazil has never been an easy task. The rigorous selectivity of publishers hampers the publication of works that could contribute to Brazilian literature by offering different perspectives, like Carolina Maria de Jesus\u2019 work.<\/p>\n

According to research published by the National Syndicate of Book Publishers<\/a>, the sale of books in Brazil grew 14.8% in the 9th period of 2017. The data shared at the 9th Panel of Booksellers in Brazil in 2017 is based on results from Nielsen BookScan Brazil, which examines book sales in the country\u2019s main bookshops and supermarkets.<\/p>\n

Favela em Pauta<\/em><\/a> mapped favela residents who have published books on various themes. Below, you will find authors from different favelas and of different ages with many stories to tell:<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0EFETIVO VARI\u00c1VEL (<\/strong><\/span>‘Conscripted Soldier’\u2014<\/span><\/strong>Alfaguara, 2017)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Jess\u00e9 Andarilho, raised in Antares<\/a>\u00a0(West Zone)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

In Efetivo Vari\u00e1vel<\/em>, the dilemmas of the character Vin\u00edcius brilliantly translate the limitations of a socially unequal and oppressive reality. Vin\u00edcius was sure that he would be discharged from the army. Because he had failed to register at age 18 as required by law, however, Vin\u00edcius did not have the right to choose and ended up in the company that did the hardest work of the battalion. Initially, Vin\u00edcius made little effort, but soon realized that his attitude harmed his fellow soldiers. He then decided to dance to the military’s tune. Washing, running, scrubbing, doing push-ups\u2026 The military routine was tough, but brought friends and purpose with it. There was only one thing he couldn\u2019t get used to: the humiliations distributed by Sergeant Vieira. To complicate matters, Vin\u00edcius began a secret relationship with the Sergeant\u2019s daughter. With a compelling narrative, Jess\u00e9 Andarilho creates conflicts and twists that are hidden under apparent normality and gives life to a regular young man, full of aspirations, in search of himself.<\/p>\n

2. EU SEMPRE FUI AZUL (‘I Have Always Been Blue’\u2014Skull, 2017)<\/h3>\n

Lorhan Rocha, raised in Morro da Formiga<\/a>\u00a0(North Zone<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n

People deal with depression in different ways. Some shy away from society by staying in a dark room. Paulo is part of this category of people, but unlike the rest of them, his room is not dark; it\u2019s blue, just like his feelings. Paulo is 17 years old and after losing his mother and falling apart from his father, he finds himself living with his grandparents, a life that is not easy, but also not as difficult as he imagined it would be. Even so, he dabbles with the infamous Blue Whale game<\/a>. About to carry out the final task imposed by the game’s curator, far above Christ the Redeemer, Paulo is interrupted by Alice Silva. Could Alice be a miracle in his life? Was her appearance pure coincidence or totally intentional?<\/p>\n

3. MINHA CIDADANIA VIOLADA AT\u00c9 QUANDO? (‘For How Long Will My Citizenship Be Violated?’\u2014Scortecci, 2016)<\/h3>\n

Bruno Black, raised in Fumac\u00ea (West Zone)<\/em><\/p>\n

This book was inspired by the societal problems observed by the author, primarily in his own community. Even so, the book ends up being a portrait of the whole of Brazilian society. As such, the book intends to speak the truth and also provoke a search for solutions. While the favela where he lives goes through moments of intense armed confrontations, Bruno Black has made poetry his release, his breath, his path, and his greatest gift to the world.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0AMOR E TRAI\u00c7\u00c3O NO CALABAR (‘Love and Betrayal in Calabar’\u2014Azougue, 2012)<\/h3>\n

Joilson Pinheiro, resident of Rocinha<\/a>\u00a0(South Zone<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n

The saga revolves around two characters, Luiz Silva and Carla Almeida, who, together with Paulo, dona<\/em> Catarina, Almeida, S\u00e9rgio das Flores, Mestre Can\u00e1rio, Marta Fagundes, and the Spaniard Julio Martinez, give life to the plot that takes place in the favela community of Calabar, in Salvador. Luiz is an active young man who comes from Cruz de Almas, and he changes the course of the community due his political and social awareness and restlessness. Jealousy and ambition are fundamental elements of this story, unleashing mysteries, betrayals, and murders.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0A HIST\u00d3RIA QUE EU CONTO (‘The Story I Tell’\u2014Tramas Urbanas, 2003)<\/h3>\n

Binho Cultura, raised in Vila\u00a0Alian\u00e7a<\/a>\u00a0(West Zone)<\/em><\/p>\n

This book talks about the attitudes of three Vila Alian\u00e7a residents on creating the ‘The Story that I Tell’ Cultural Center<\/a>, sparking a transformation in the community using culture for development. Through their plans and actions, they attract investments from the private and public sectors that help them raise up Vila Alian\u00e7a from having one the worst Human Development Indices in the city.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0O LIVREIRO DO ALEM\u00c3O (‘The Bookseller of Alem\u00e3o’\u2014Panda Books, 2011)<\/h3>\n

Ot\u00e1vio Cesar Junior, raised in Complexo do Alem\u00e3o<\/a>\u00a0(North Zone)<\/em><\/p>\n

In this work, the author reveals how one book, which he found in the trash when he was 8 years old, changed his life. Resident of Complexo do Alem\u00e3o, Rio de Janeiro, Ot\u00e1vio Cesar Junior created the “Reading is 10″\u2014Read, Favela<\/a> project in his community, which aims to teach children the pleasure of reading. Despite the violence, drug trafficking, and favela residents’ lack of resources, this story tries to prove that books have the power to transform the lives of children and young people.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0ROCINHA EM OFF (‘Rocinha Off’\u2014Desfecho, 2015)<\/h3>\n

Carlos Costa, raised in Rocinha\u00a0(South Zone)<\/em><\/p>\n

This book gathers stories that the media don\u2019t know\u2014or cannot or will not tell\u2014through a series of “causes” that the journalist Carlos Costa remembers nostalgically. After 30 years of involvement in community movements<\/a> in Rocinha, Carlos Costa, who graduated in journalism in 2007, celebrates the close of his cycle as a community leader and leaves diverse stories and causes as legacies for the history of Rocinha.<\/p>\n

8.\u00a0PALAVRAS DO MUNDO (‘Words of the World’\u20142017)<\/h3>\n

Rennan Leta, raised in Mata Machado, in\u00a0Alto da Boa Vista<\/a>\u00a0(North Zone)<\/em><\/p>\n

The book is a project that started as a Facebook page with the intention to translate the world in words. The first book has two chapters: words of Nature and words of Humanity. In the first, the author presents poetry about nature, its elements, and its phenomena. Then in the second, the author offers a poetic vision of important aspects of humanity: feelings, gestures, problems, and solutions. This is only the first step and the first translation of the world in words.<\/p>\n

9.\u00a0A VOZ DO ALEM\u00c3O (‘The Voice of Alem\u00e3o’\u2014NVersos, 2013)<\/h3>\n

Rene Silva, raised in Morro do Adeus<\/a>, in Complexo do Alem\u00e3o\u00a0(North Zone)<\/em><\/p>\n

Rene Silva\u2014the young creator of newspaper\u00a0Voz da Comunidade<\/em><\/a> (Voice of the Community)\u2014describes the daily lives of residents of the favela complex on Morro do Alem\u00e3o, offering a space where many voices, once silenced, can be heard and responded to. Jointly with journalist Sabrina Abreu, Silva has created a book out of his own trajectory, as well as the trajectories of many other young local residents. The reader is invited to get to know the favela, in great detail, with the brilliant story of Silva and A Voz do Alem\u00e3o<\/em>.<\/p>\n

10.\u00a0O MENINO DO MORRO VIROU DEUS (‘The Boy from the Favela That Became God’\u2014Desfecho, 2015)<\/h3>\n

Bruno Rico, raised in Cajueiro\u00a0(North Zone)<\/em><\/p>\n

Based on the lyrics of The Boy from the Hill, by rap group Central Faction, this book tells the story of an invisible legend of Brazilian drug trafficking. Tired of going through the humiliations and difficulties of childhood, Julinho Faixa enters into the world of crime and becomes a great talent of the drug trade in his area. In just a few years, Julinho Faixa becomes one of the biggest drug traffickers in Brazil and, most curiously, nobody knew him as such, because he lives under a scheme that keeps him hidden, allowing him to walk the streets anonymously. But this is not easy. To get the power, political influence and omnipotence of a god is not a simple task for a weedy boy, who in his childhood was treated like a nobody. All of these difficulties shape him into an invisible and extremely powerful man, who gives orders and commands in this country.<\/p>\n

11.\u00a0ENRAIZADOS: OS H\u00cdBRIDOS GLOBAIS (‘Rooted: The Global Hybrids’\u2014Aeroplano, 2011)<\/h3>\n

Dudu de Morro Agudo, Nova Igua\u00e7u (Baixada Fluminense)<\/em><\/p>\n

This book tells the story of the roots of the movement, and this story is a demonstration of the force that hip-hop<\/a> has in Brazil. This force is able to open infinite possibilities for those who get caught up in it. Dudu de Morro Agudo shares the great adventure that he and his partner, Dumontt, embark on to create the miracle, in his words, of creating this movement that today can be found across almost all of Brazil and in many countries around the world. The narration takes its diction directly from its author: consistent, blunt, and good-humored. Each passage encourages us to keep reading because it is light, agile, and stirs the reader’s curiosity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas For the original in Portuguese by Michel Silva published by Favela em Pauta click here. Writer Carolina Maria de Jesus (1914-1977) left a mark on Brazilian literature with the publication of […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":156,"featured_media":40201,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1328,1268,1334,1330],"tags":[1361,490,384,460,852,231,2404,1653,32,504,221,2584,2803,666,2585,1845,115,116,1577,37,122,12,1973,121,21],"writer":[1456],"translator":[2582],"illustrator":[],"photographer":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-40141","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-by-community-contributors","8":"category-favelaculture","9":"category-reviews","10":"category-translation","11":"tag-endfavelastigma","12":"tag-alto-da-boa-vista","13":"tag-antares","14":"tag-baixada-fluminense","15":"tag-book","16":"tag-city-of-god","17":"tag-community","18":"tag-community-media","19":"tag-complexo-do-alemao","20":"tag-culture","21":"tag-favela-culture","22":"tag-fumace","23":"tag-listicle","24":"tag-literature","25":"tag-mata-machado","26":"tag-media","27":"tag-morro-agudo","28":"tag-morro-da-formiga","29":"tag-morro-do-adeus","30":"tag-north-zone","31":"tag-nova-iguacu","32":"tag-rocinha","33":"tag-salvador","34":"tag-vila-alianca","35":"tag-west-zone","36":"writer-michel-silva","37":"translator-jiselle-steele"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/156"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=40141"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40141\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81357,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40141\/revisions\/81357"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/40201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=40141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=40141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=40141"},{"taxonomy":"writer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fwriter&post=40141"},{"taxonomy":"translator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftranslator&post=40141"},{"taxonomy":"illustrator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fillustrator&post=40141"},{"taxonomy":"photographer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fphotographer&post=40141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}