Le format de lecture: cinq romans de Machado de Assis

This article investigates the relationship between Machado de Assis earlier novels and the editorial practices at the second half of the nineteenth century in Brazil, when successful novels were very often published in two formats. Novels were very often published firstly in serial form, and, afterwards, a revised text could be published as a book, having most of the time very few changes. Machado de Assis also published his fiction in that way. This article shows that the relationship between his earlier works and serial publication evolved progressively until Philosopher or Dog? (Quincas Borba), the final novel originally published in this form and the only one which serial and book versions differ substantially.