ABSTRACT
The research into Machado de Assis's work as a novelist is based on an analysis of the relationship between his novels and the publishing practices which were prevalent in the second half of the nineteenth century. At the time, novels were essentially published in two formats: as serials, which appeared in pamphlets, daily newspapers, and fortnightly or monthly magazines; and as books. This chapter explores the relationship between Machado de Assis's prose and the serialized mode of publication. It shows that Machado de Assis's relationship with the serial evolved progressively until it suffered a crisis with Quincas Borba, the text which ended the cycle of novels written by Machado de Assis for serialized publication. The chapter investigates the way in which the serialized novels were transformed into books, a process which had some impact on the structure and meaning of the novels.
