Quincas Wateryell’s double life, his wife and children prayed for him after he called them vipers and, without so much as a glance over his shoulder, walked out of his respectable middle-class home forever. And to think, such an obedient, meek husband and father, a former exemplary employee of the State Rent Board; the derelicts, tramps, hobos, gamblers and prostitutes in the squalid neighborhoods of his second life all loved him, their first and foremost shinning star of seedy bar and sailor skiff (Quincas’ great-great grandfather was a captain and Quincas could feel the sea in his blood), through ten glorious years of carousing, marathon card games, rum drinking and thousands of debaucheries, their leader, Daddy, great pal and hero would spin his new life around a squalid flophouse where he would occasionally crash in his bare, dingy room furnished with sagging, moth-eaten cot; leader and pal, Daddy and hero (did I previously mention his roles? If so, it bears repeating), his arms always spread wide, embracing down-and-outers against all odds, his open heart, his warm smile, rum-fueled fire sparkling in his eyes - all this is noble, splendid, spirited, liberating and caused his family endless embarrassment and shame.

A friend recently wrote me saying how another world-renowned author from Brazil couldn’t hold a candle to the storytelling of Jorge Amado. It’s hard to argue with this statement since Jorge's nearly thirty novels, astonishing literary masterpieces loved by millions of readers, from intellectuals and esteemed critics to workers in the field, prove Jorge to be among the world’s foremost storytelling giants.

And please do not underestimate this Jorge Amado novella under review – its less than one hundred pages contain more sheer energy, excitement and euphoria, joy and jubilance than an entire shelf of works many times its length penned by a good number of other authors.

The spirit of wild, intoxicated Dionysius has an undeniable presence on every single page. If you are not yet acquainted with the author, this little gem is the perfect place to imbibe some Jorge Amado storytelling splendor. Set your spirit free!