Luiz Antonio Simas

Luiz Antonio Simas is from Rio de Janeiro, the son and grandson of people from Pernambuco and Alagoas. He has a Master’s degree in Social History from UFRJ, is a history professor, popular educator, writer, poet and composer, and has published more than thirty books on Brazilian street cultures. Since the publication of his first book, O vidente míope (Folha Seca, 2009), was a finalist for the Jabuti Prize on three occasions, with the works Coisas nossas (José Olympio, 2017), O corpo encantado das ruas (Civilização Brasileira, 2019) and Sonetos de birosca e poemas de terreiro (José Olympio, 2022), his first book of poetry. He won the same award in the 2016 Book of the Year category, in partnership with Nei Lopes, for Dicionário da história social do samba (Civilização Brasileira, 2015). His songs have been recorded by artists such as Maria Rita, Marcelo D2, Criolo, Rita Benneditto and Fabiana Cozza. He also served as curator of the exhibitions “Crônicas cariocas” (Rio de Janeiro Art Museum), alongside Conceição Evaristo; “Semba/Samba: bodies and crossings”, alongside Nei Lopes and with artistic curation and museographic project by carnival artists Leonardo Bora and Gabriel Haddad; and “Aos heróis da liberdade” (Samba Museum/RJ), with Gringo Cardia. In July 2024, he published Maldito invento dum baronete: uma breve história do jogo do bicho (Mórula). At this moment, he is finishing two books: Dicionário das culturas encantadas do Brasil and Bestiário brasileiro de visagens e assombrações.