In 1986 I was living in Salvador da Bahia, the old capital of Brazil, learning Portuguese. I spent little time in the classroom. There was a beach at the end of the street. And scattered all round the city and in the shanty-towns beyond were the temples of Candomblé, the Afro-Brazilian religion of …
Translating Caetano
John Ryle
‘The beat of the city was shot through with drumming patterns used to invoke them in the Saturday night ceremonies.’
40 years of Granta

The Silkworms
Nothing to see here!

Peace Shall Destroy Many
What made him do what he did? Could it have all been for an ice cream bar, really? Will any of us ever know?

Blue Sky Days
What made him do what he did? Could it have all been for an ice cream bar, really? Will any of us ever know?

Vladimir in Love
What made him do what he did? Could it have all been for an ice cream bar, really? Will any of us ever know?

The Transition
What made him do what he did? Could it have all been for an ice cream bar, really? Will any of us ever know? What made him do what he did? Could it have all been for an ice cream bar, really? Will any of us ever know?
John Ryle
John Ryle is a regional specialist working for aid agencies and human rights organizations in Africa and the Middle East. He is also one of Granta’s contributing editors.
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