A Utopia Burocrática de Máximo Modesto

After passing an exam, Máximo Modesto is put in charge of a mysterious branch handling 'interim services', staffed by a judge's illegitimate son, party hacks given jobs as favours, long-forgotten clerks and a secretary who paints nails at her desk. He makes them all start working again and fires off memo after memo to his superior proposing a model of rational, up-to-date administration. The superior stays shut in his room and never writes back, and one setback after another wears down Máximo's grand plans.

AI-generated summary

About the book

Form

Novel

Length

176 pages in the original

Genres

Satire (assigned by AI)

Set in

Brazil

First published

2001 by Companhia das Letras

ISBN

9788535901566 (original)