Against a backdrop of political corruption Joslives an ordinary life, working a dead-end job catching mice in a dingy movie theate r. Everything changes when he meets his wife Rosa thanks to the help of the Happy Heart Marriage Agency. They seem to have an understanding: Jos isn't bothered by Rosa's dishonesty, extra weight, and fantastically promiscuous past; Rosa isn't too put off by Jos's clubbed foot, periodic blackouts, or lack of direction—she just wants a house. Pragmatic, Jos sets out to get the money necessary to make that possible. And in doing so, he manages to become a robber, sniper, and political subversive wanted by the government. Deploying fast-paced, short chapters in a number of styles, Brand o deftly presents an array of engaging characters and conflicts, vividly depicting the absurdity of a repressive political regime with exceptional daring and humor.

Igncio de Loyola Brando began his career writing film reviews and went on to work for one of the principal newspapers in S o Paulo. Initially banned in Brazil, Zero went on to win the prestigious Brasilia Prize and become a controversial best-seller. Brando is the author of more than a half-dozen works of fiction, including And Still the Earth.

"A wild, surreal novel, vulgar, funny, self-conscious, painful. It is done in short takes, each with a headline; a kitchen sink kind of book, envisioning the hideous nature of life under a repressive regime of the 1960s."—E. L. Doctorow

"This Brazilian novel uses exuberant exaggeration, unusual typographical layout, and artful juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated information to build a sharp denunciation of dictatorship . . . . Very much tongue-in-cheek, this novel is entertaining despite the serious message underneath."—Library Journal