The Devil To Pay In the Backlands

The scarce first printing of this experimental, Brazilian novel, which some critics have compared to James Joyce’s Ulysses based on its playful and revolutionary use of language. This was Rosa’s only novel, although he published short stories and poetry and was a polyglot and diplomat. "The Devil to Pay in the Backlands is like an enormous mural painting of the sweeping backland country of northern Brazil in which feuding bands of outlaws spring to life." The narrator, now an old man, reflects on his life as an outlaw and is tortured by a pact with the devil made earlier in life. This first English language edition features an introduction by Jorge Amado titled, "The Place of Guimarães Rosa in Brazilian literature." Originally published in Portuguese as Grande Sertão: Veredas in 1956. 8vo. Green cloth boards, decorative spine stamped in gilt, red and green, red top stain bright and unfaded; unclipped dust jacket has some light wear to spine ends, faint sunning to flap folds and one stain near the spine to the front panel. An about near fine copy.…