Power of the pen

She is just as secretive as her books. Her German debut novel, "Siblings of the Water," hit bookshelves in Germany in July 2013. The book follows the magical tale of three siblings whose paths diverge. Born in 1975, Brazilian Andréa dos Santos writes under the pseudonym Andréa del Fuego and offers social criticisms of her home country in her blog and books.

His parents came from Lebanon; his classmates from the Amazon. Milton Hatoum is considered an interpreter between both worlds. Born in Maunus in 1952, the literary figure divides his talents between writing and translating. His works, including "Ashes of the Amazon" and "Two Brothers" have been translated into 14 languages. Hatoum has translated Gustave Flaubert and George Sand into Portuguese.

His career is the exception to the rule. Born to a blue-collar family in 1961, Luiz Ruffato wrote his way from being a locksmith to becoming one of Brazil's most up-and-coming contemporary authors. He garnered fame for his novel "They were many horses", a merciless snapshot of the Brazilian metropolis Sao Paulo.

Journalism is his passion. Author and screenwriter Fernando Morais writes his novels like an enthralling reportage. Nearly all of his books have been adapted for film, including best-seller "Olga" which follows the story of a German communist who was extradited from Brazil to the Nazis. In 2008 Morais surprised the public with a controversial biography of Paulo Coelho.

Composing isn't enough. Linguistic genius Francisco "Chico" Buarque de Hollanda is known in Brazil not only as a musician and singer, but also as a writer and intellectual. His socially critical novels have been translated into German, including the classics "The Hunted" (1994) and "Budapest" (2010). This year his latest novel, "Spilt Milk" will be published in German.

From slave cabins to guarded affluent ghetto, Joao Ubaldo Ribeiro immerses himself in Brazil's history and traditions. Born in Bahia in 1941, the writer broke through in 1971 with the political novel "Sargento Getulio". In Germany the eloquent, sometimes surreal author was known for his commentaries about Berlin after the wall fell in "A Brazilian in Berlin."

Not only was her literary work rebellious, but so was the author herself. Clarice Lispector's (1920 -1977) socially critical novel "Near to the Wild Heart" caught then-dictator Getulio Vargas' attention. In her work she describes the emotional abyss behind the facade of everyday life. In 2005 the New York Times described Lispector as the Franz Kafka of Latin America.

Cocoa, carnival and cliches: Jorge Amado (1912 - 2001) describes the colorful life of Brazil, complete with its ups and downs. Street children and prostitutes are his heroes; he penetrates deeply into the Brazilian soul. His work has been translated into 49 languages, many of his books have become films. As a former member of the Communist Party, Amado spent several years in exile in Paris.

He served as a doctor and diplomat for the Brazilian armed forces. However, after the release of the epic "Grande Sertao" or "The Devil to Pay in the Backlands", Joao Guimaraes Rosa (1908 - 1967) became one of Brazil's most famous writers. His novel about life in the highlands of the north east is regarded as a counterpart to James Joyce's "Ulysses". The German translation appeared in 1964.

Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (1839 - 1908) is still regarded as the most important figure in Brazilian literature. His literary legacy reveals him as a lovable scoffer, brilliant storyteller and critical contemporary. The 1899 classic "Dom Casmurro" about the secret love of a budding priest, now appears at the Frankfurt Book Fair in a new, German translation.