Todos os Contos

This collection gathers the complete short stories of Clarice Lispector, from early pieces to her late work. They include "Amor," in which a woman on a tram sees a blind man chewing gum and her ordered life cracks, and tales from collections such as Laços de família and A legião estrangeira. Her stories deal with housewives, children, animals and strangers, and usually turn on a sudden moment of perception that upsets ordinary life.

Readers who like intense, introspective modernist fiction will find a vast territory here. It suits those who have read her novels, such as The Hour of the Star, and want to study her shorter, sharper work.

Deep, inward-looking, contemplative, open-ended and thought-provoking; a moderate read.

Best for readers like The Wisdom Collector. Which reader are you?