Brazilian journalist and novelist born in the city of Rio de Janeiro, chronicler of the social customs of his time and one of the most expressive Brazilian novelists. Son of a typographer from the National Press and a public teacher, he was a mestizo by birth and was initiated into his studies by his own mother, from whom he was orphaned at the age of seven. He did his first studies and, by the hand of his baptism godfather, Visconde de Ouro Preto, minister of the Empire, and completed his basic training at the National Gymnasium Pedro II) in Rio de Janeiro.
He enrolled at the Escola Politécnica (1897), intending to become an engineer. He had, however, to drop out of the course to take over the leadership and support of the family, due to the father's madness (1902), interned in the Colony of Aliens on Ilha do Governador where he stayed as a storekeeper. He made his debut in the student press and applied for a vacant position in the Secretary of War, through a public examination, having passed in 2nd place and filled the vacancy, due to the withdrawal of the 1st place (1903). He decided to dedicate himself to literature by starting (1904) the first version of the novel Clara dos Anjos.
The following year he began the novel Recordações do escrivão Isaías Caminha, published in Lisbon (1909). As a journalist, he dispersed his activity throughout the magazines Brás Cubas, Careta, Fon-Fon, O Malho and several newspapers of his time. Developing a humorous and satirical style, his novels became very popular. Victim of the drinking addiction that had accompanied him for over ten years, he died in his hometown.
Among the books he published, the novels Triste Fim by Policarpo Quaresma (1916), considered his best work, Numa e Ninfa (1918) and Vida e Morte de M. J. Gonzaga de Sá (1919). He was also successful as the short story book Stories and Dreams (1920) and the satire book Os Bruzundangas (1922), whose originals he presented on his deathbed.
Posthumously, the book of chronicles, Bagatelas (1923) and the novel Clara dos Anjos (1948) stood out, in addition to the books by tales Other Stories and Algerian Tales (1952), of satires Things from the Kingdom of Jambom (1953) and of memoirs Diário Íntimo (1956).
Source: http://www.dec.ufcg.edu.br/biografias/BIOGVINC.htm
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biografia/lima-barreto.htm