Menino de engenho

work by Lins do Rego

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June 30, 2026

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Menino de engenho (1932), or "Plantation Boy," is a novel by Brazilian author José Lins do Rego. It is the first book in his acclaimed five-part "Sugar Cane Cycle." The novel is based on Lins do Rego's own childhood experiences on a plantation in Brazil's Northeast region.

The Sugar Cane Cycle explores the transition from the traditional, feudal system of plantation society to the changes brought about by industrialization. Menino de engenho specifically focuses on the author's boyhood and family life within this setting, offering a personal perspective on the era. The cycle also includes Doidinho, Bangüê, O moleque Ricardo, and Usina.12

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José Lins do Rego
…first work of the cycle, Menino de engenho (1932; “Plantation Boy”), is based on his own boyhood and family. It was followed in quick succession by Doidinho (1933; “Daffy Boy”), Bangüê (1934; “Old Plantation”), O moleque Ricardo (1935; “Black Boy Richard”), and Usina (1936; “The Sugar Refinery”). The first three…
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…first work of the cycle, Menino de engenho (1932; “Plantation Boy”), is based on his own boyhood and family. It was followed in quick succession by Doidinho (1933; “Daffy Boy”), Bangüê (1934; “Old Plantation”), O moleque Ricardo (1935; “Black Boy Richard”), and Usina (1936; “The Sugar Refinery”). The first three…
Read More