Rio de Janeiro, 1831 Manuel Antônio de Almeida first drew his attention on the fine arts, yet he wound up getting a college degree in medicine. He worked as editor of a literary supplement entitled Correio Mercantil where he published the novel that definitely put him on the map: "Memories of a Militia Sergeant " (1855). This piece panned out to be a turning point in the then fledgling Brazilian novel. Later on, he was appointed an official for the Ministry of Economy. His literary works are embraced in realism in which he usually turned to traditional chronicle -Rio's social life- yet bathed by some roughish elements. In 1861, he put out his last book, the historic drama "Two Loves." Shortly after that, he died in the tragic wreckage of steam liner Hermes.