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An interview with Ana Maria Machado. (Children''s Literature).

Article Excerpt
AS I WAS LEAVING my hotel on Porchat Island early in the morning, I contemplated for the last time the breathtaking view of historic Sao Vicente Bay, where the Portuguese established their first settlement in Brazil in the 1500s. I drove down the island toward the ferry that would take me to Guaruja, the starting point of my trip to Rio. It would be the first time in many years that I had taken the Rio-Santos highway, a delightful route along one of the most exuberant coastlines I've ever seen.

My journey to Rio de Janeiro had a purpose: I was to interview Ana Maria Machado, the latest recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, often referred to as the "Nobel" of children's literature. But unlike the Swedish Academy, which has frequently overlooked the magnitude of Brazilian belles lettres--perhaps because it is written in Portuguese, a language still considered minor by many--the Andersen Award judges have treated Brazilian authors very fairly. Lydia Bojunga Nunes was the first Brazilian writer to receive this prize, in 1982, placing Brazil second only to the United States in the number of awards received.

The trip to Rio was truly inspiring, as I had expected. After passing through the idyllic resorts of Bertioga, Ubatuba, Paraty, and Angra dos Reis, I finally reached my hotel in Rio late in the afternoon. I immediately called Ana Maria to schedule our interview, which we set for five o'clock the next day. Punctually at five, I was already announcing myself through the intercom at her elegant apartment building in Leblon, ready to meet her personally for the first time. Following the Brazilian tradition of hospitality, Ana Maria greeted me with a bright smile and offered me some cashew juice (the cashew is a juicy tropical fruit, and the famous nut is just a small part of it), which I gladly accepted. The temperature outside was in the 100s, and the bittersweet taste of cashews was entirely appropriate for the moment, as we sat on her front porch gazing at Corcovado Mountain. For a moment there, life was just perfect. Here I was discussing literature with the distinguished Ana Maria Machado over some cashew juice in beautiful Rio. How could I ask for more?

As our conversation began, we talked about Brazilian literature in general, about World Literature Today, and about the Top Ten list of Brazilian novels I had recently compiled for WLT. Ana Maria demonstrated surprise as she read my list, not so much at my selections as at my familiarity with contemporary Brazilian authors, a familiarity she thought unusual for someone living abroad. I took her surprise as a compliment. The conversation passed smoothly from an informal bate-papo to more serious matters. After all, as Brazilian novelist Graciliano Ramos used to say, "Literature is flesh, and should always be taken seriously." Machado also spoke at length...