The current Brazilian literary system. Small and medium publishing houses investigates the universe of the Brazilian publishing market departing from theoretic presuppositions from literature, along with other areas - like sociology and history -, which allow us to perceive the insertion of the literary production and the establishing relationship between the production, distribution and reception agents of the literary field. The thesis approaches the theme in the view of literature as a complex cultural and social phenomenon. Under such view, important sources of information about other markets (France for instance, where concentration movements by large groups, or even the existence of entities of small and medium editors, points to strategic actions that are characteristic to the current publishing market) are incorporated to the research - based on interviews and questionnaires - of the literary system in Brazil. In this thesis are analyzed the reflex of socio-economic and political factors in the professionalization of the sector, which is marked simultaneously by the expansion of mega groups and the joining of minor publishing houses for their survival and to keep their position in the market. The research also includes the particular situation of such small and medium publishing houses from the definition of their publishing lines, their catalogs showing a range of lines like fiction and/or non- fiction, specialized and/or diversified areas, national and/or foreign authors, or even the record of data about the companies like invoicing, time of foundation, location, the editor´s education. Such aspects that when analyzed as a total helped in composing the intricate circuit of production, commercialization, and reception that identifies the book universe in Brazil, more specifically in the center of the country.