(2 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5)
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Product Description
Only slightly smaller in size than the United States, Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world. It is home to exotic Rio de Janeiro, the mighty Amazon River, the world-renowned Carnival, and of course, its shrinking rainforests. “A Brief History of Brazil” offers a concise yet comprehensive account of the rich and varied history of Brazil, placing the political, economic, and cultural events of today into broad historical context. The book opens with an overview of pre-colonial Brazil and goes on to examine the history of Portuguese exploration, through the early years of the slave trade between Africa and the Americas, and the creation of the largest slaveholding society in the modern world. During this era, a vibrant African culture left its mark, joined by influences from European, Asian, and Middle Eastern immigrants, all of which combined to create modern Brazil. After a short-lived First Republic at the turn of the twentieth century, Brazil experienced more than three decades of military dictatorship before it developed the vibrant democracy that characterizes the country today. “A Brief History of Brazil” also examines key historical figures and the hallmarks of Brazilian popular culture: soccer, Carnival, music, and television. This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Amazon Average Rating 3.5/5.0
I was happy to find a book on the history of Brazil before my recent trip there. This book, however, is poorly written, poorly cited, and appears to be researched only from English and translated to English sources (only five of the sixty ibliographic sources cited in Appendix 3 are not in English). Essentially it is the view of an outsider based on the research of other outsiders. It still is a worthwhile and accessible read, but the perspective of the author should not be ignored.
Rating: 2 / 5
Written for a general audience, this book covers Brazilian history from the pre-colonial period to the present. It places special emphasis on the daily lives of women, as well as men, on popular culture, including soccer, movies, television and music. I found the information on the struggle to save the Amazon Rainforest, on the yearly Carnival celebration, and on the relationship of politics to popular culture especially fascinating.
I recommend the book to a wide audience, and also think it would be appropriate for high school and college classes.
Rating: 5 / 5