The Roots of Brazil’s “autobiography”: Remembrance and celebration of the essay (1970-1980)

Abstract

Since the publication of “Roots of Brazil” in 1936 by Sérgio Buarque de Holanda, one of the most important periods in this book’s wealth of critical acclaim happened between the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, after its definitive edition in 1969, the book was consolidated as a Brazilian historiography classic. Since the beginning of the 21st century, various editions have been compared as to their differences; my objective with this article is to call attention to the importance of some elements that — although immanent or supplementary to the text — remain influential until today to the reception and to the history of the book. They are the relations among the author's self-critical recollections, the incorporation of paratextual materials, and the successive celebrations of the work, between 1970 and 1980. These elements were also very important to the recontextualization process of the genre essay in those decades, and as well to the building of a thick layer of memories around “Roots of Brazil” and its author.