Travel books
A Chapter of Hats and Other Stories
By Machado de Assis
Bloomsbury, £16.99
Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis spent his entire life in Rio de Janeiro and although he is little known on this side of the water, he is a legend in Brazil and regarded as that country's finest writer.
This book is a collection of short stories that has just been translated into English, despite the fact that de Assis died a century ago.
It is artfully hilarious, deft and satirical, the simplicity of the writing and the stories within masking narrative and ideas that click and hum like well-oiled clockwork.
There is not much here in praise of Brazil's landscape, but there is a feast for those with an interest in its urban people and society, and Assis's appetite for incidental scandal and everyday revelations makes for a glittering collection of tales that reveal more about humanity than perhaps we would like to admit.
Brazil
Lonely Planet, £16.99
From the pristine wilderness of the rain forest to the pulsing sprawl of its crackling cities, Brazil is a country with enough attractions to keep even the most demanding visitor occupied. This guide plays to Brazil's strengths. A strong section on the country's environment is a terrific kicking-off point for anyone looking to explore the rainforest, in particular the Pantanal area. If your taste stretches to more man-made delights, then the chapters on Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are particularly vibrant. The photographs are perhaps a little flat but the section on Carnaval alone should provide enough colour to fire your imagination in this reassuringly substantial guide.