This anthology features 25 short stories written by 25 Brazilian authors from 1836 through 1879. Selected by Hélio de Seixas Guimarães and Vagner Camilo, both Professors of Literature at the University of São Paulo, the book serves as historical documentation of the early days of the Brazilian short story, with narratives penned by household names like Machado de Assis and also by virtually unknown, or even unidentified authors.
The basis for this project was my then ongoing research on 19th century Brazilian title pages that resulted in my master’s thesis. Throughout the 19th century and much of the 20th, it was common to buy books unbound and take them to a bookbinder for sewing and adding a cover, usually bound in leather. Using contemporary type and materials, I wished to emulate the feeling that the 19th century reader would have when first coming in contact with a brand-new binding. Varied frames, oddly placed vignettes and the use of the Questa family by Martin Majoor and Joss Buivenga all contribute to this nostalgic yet contemporary feel of this limited edition.
O sino e o relógio — Uma antologia do conto romântico brasileiro (“The bell and the clock — An anthology of the Brazilian romantic tale”) was published by Editora Carambaia.