List of books about Brazilian carnival

This list presents selected, notable books about the Brazilian Carnival, both non-fiction and fiction, grouped for clarity by subject and era.

Non-fiction

General studies

• Beyond Carnival: Male Homosexuality in Twentieth-Century Brazil by James N. Green (2001) — Analysis of male homosexuality and Carnival. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. ISBN 9780226306391. Source:

• Carnaval Brasileiro. O Vivido e o Mito by Maria Isaura Pereira Queiroz (1977) — Sociological analysis of Carnival’s development. Brasiliense, São Paulo. ISBN 9788511080742. Subject: Analysis of Carnival and popular appeal. Source:

• Ecos da Folia by Maria Clementina Pereira Cunha (2001) — Social history of the Carnival (1880–2020). Companhia das Letras, São Paulo. ISBN 9788535901047. Subject: Social history of Carnival. Source:

• Carnaval Em Múltiplos Planos (Various authors, 2018) — Collection of essays on Carnival. Aeroplano, Rio de Janeiro. ISBN 9788578200206. Subject: Multidisciplinary essays. Source:

• Carnavais, malandros e heróis: Para uma sociologia do dilema brasileiro by Roberto DaMatta (1979) — Sociological study of Brazil via Carnival. Rocco, Rio de Janeiro. ISBN 9788532507600. Subject: Brazilian society and Carnival. Source:

• Carnaval - Cores e Movimentos by Lorenzo Mattotti (2006) — Illustrations of Carnival. Casa 21, Rio. ISBN 9788588627093. Subject: Carnival visual arts. Source:

• O carnaval das letras by Leonardo Affonso de Miranda Pereira (2004) —Literature and Carnival in the 19th century. Editora da Unicamp, Campinas. ISBN 9788526806672. Source:

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro

• Carnaval no fogo: crônicas de uma cidade excitante demais by Ruy Castro (2003) — Companhia das Letras, São Paulo. ISBN: 978-85-3590-366-9. Source:
• Carnival in Rio by Helmut Teissl (2000) — Photo book. Abbeville, New York. ISBN 9780789206428. Source:

• Os Carnavais Cariocas e sua Trajetória de Internacionalização (1946–1963) by Danilo Alves Bezerra (2017) — History of Rio Carnival internationalization. Paco Editorial, Jundiaí. ISBN 9788546210077. Source:

• 100 anos de carnaval by Haroldo Costa (2001) — History of Rio Carnival Irmãos Vitale, São Paulo. ISBN 9788574071169. Subject: Rio Carnival history. Source:

• Carnaval de Rio (ed. Delphine Pinasa & Felipe Ferreira, 2022) — Photobook on Rio Carnival. Silvana Editoriale, Milan. ISBN 9788836645701. Source:

• Carnaval-Ritual: Carlos Vergara e Cacique de Ramos by Maurício Barros de Castro (2021) — On photos by Carlos Vergara. Cobogó, Rio de Janeiro. ISBN 9786556910253. Source:

Samba schools

• Uma história do Samba by Lira Neto (2017) — Samba schools' history. Companhia das Letras, São Paulo. ISBN 9788535928563. Source:

• Escolhas de Samba do Rio de Janeiro by Sergio Cabral (2016) — History of samba schools. Lazuli, Vila Madalena. ISBN 9788578651077. Source:

• Carnaval e cultura: Poética e técnica no fazer escola de samba by Milton Cunha (2015) — Samba school culture. Senac, São Paulo. ISBN 9788539608492. Source:

• Samba de enredo: história e arte" by Alberto Mussa & Luiz Antonio Simas (2023) — Samba-enredos. Civilização Brasileira, Rio de Janeiro. ISBN 9786558020882. Source:

• Três poetas do samba-enredo by Leonardo Bruno, Rachel Valença & Gustavo Gasparani (2021) — On samba-enredos. Cobogó, Rio de Janeiro. ISBN 9786556910284. Source:

• Porta-bandeiras, Onze mulheres incríveis do carnaval carioca by Aydano André Motta (2013) — Biographies. Verso Brasil, Rio de Janeiro. ISBN 9788562767104. Source:

• Salgueiro, Explode Coração by Leonardo Bruno (2013) — History of Unidos de Salgueiro. Verso Brasil, Rio de Janeiro. ISBN 9788562767081. Source:

Carnival in Salvador

• As Donas do Canto by Marilada Santanna (2011) — History of Axé music. Edufba, Salvador. ISBN 9788523206253. Source:

• O Carnaval de Salvador e Suas Escolas de Samba (Various Authors, 2017) — Samba schools. Corrupio, Salvador. ISBN 9788586551529. Source:

• Almanaque do carnaval by André Diniz (2008) — Historical/practical guide, with focus on Salvador. Zahar, São Paulo. ISBN 9788537800478. Subject: History and guide. Source:

Carnival in Recife

• O Carnaval do Recife by Leonardo Dantas Silva (2019) — History/analysis. CEPE, Recife. ISBN 9788578587574. Source:

• Festas Mascaras Do Tempo by Rita De Cassia Barbosa De Araujo (1996) — Recife Carnival. Fundação Cultura Cidade do Recife, Recife. ISBN 9788570440761. Source:

Fiction

19th Century

• A Moreninha by Joaquim Manuel de Macedo (1844) — Love story at Carnival. ISBN 9786550970055. Source:

• O cortiço by Aluísio Azevedo (1890) — Working-class Rio, Carnival as backdrop. ISBN 9788594318831. Source:

20th Century

• Carnaval by Manuel Bandeira (1919) — Poems. ISBN 9788526019874. Source:

• O País do Carnaval by Jorge Amado (1931) — Novel, Carnival and intellectualism. ISBN 9788535917987. Source:

• Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos by Jorge Amado (1966) — Salvador Carnival setting. ISBN 9788535911701. Source:

• Orfeu da Conceição by Vinicius de Moraes (1956) — Myth in Rio Carnival. ISBN 9788535923070. Source:

• A Grande Arte by Rubem Fonseca (1983) — Crime novel at Rio Carnival. ISBN 9788520924556. Source:

• Os Prisioneiros by Rubem Fonseca (1963) — Short stories, two at Carnival. ISBN 9788522011674. Source:

21st Century

• O Grande Dia by Pierre Cormon (2024) — Three people are preparing to parade at the Sambadrome or participate in the street carnival; an incident derails all their plans. Quixote Do, Belo Horizonte. ISBN 9788566256918. Source:

• Carnaval by Luiza Trigo (2012) — Teen romance at Recife Carnival. Rocco Jovens Leitores, Rio de Janeiro. ISBN 9788579801051. Source:

• A Rainha de Bateria by Martinho da Vila (2009) — Picture book, drum queen dream. Lazuli, São Paulo. ISBN 9788522011674. Source:

References