The Burning Season: The Murder of Chico Mendes and the Fight for the Amazon Rain Forest

by Andrew C. Revkin

"A well-written and sympathetic biography of the late Chico Mendes, leader of the Acre rubber tappers who was assassinated in Dec. 1988. Uses biographical format successfully to probe the wider economic, social, and political questions of Amazonian development. Excellent for classroom use"--Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 57.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Environment, Brazil, Politics, True Crime, Historical

Hardcover

First published June 29, 1990

Reviews

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly fresh, 25 years later...

Revkin has masterfully assembled a huge multitude of people, economic and political forces which culminated on Chico Mendes and the rubber tapper movement in Acre Brazil during the 1980s.

Much of Brazilian history is overly academic and discordant, but this read comes life with almost deceptive simplicity at times. While it is clear the book is written in memory of Chico and the movement to preserve the rainforest the facts often speak for themselves.

[Ben Goldfarb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still fresh in the Bolsonaro era.

[Cate Tedford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think I would have appreciated this book as much had I not been taking a Latin American history class, but MAN was this fascinating to me. Not only do I feel like I could hold my own in a Portuguese conversation about the history of the Amazon rainforest, but I have a more honest understanding of how we've arrived here, where on average, 10,000 acres of this lush, biodiverse forest are destroyed per day.

Analyzing this book and the work and murder of Chico Mendes, particularly in comparison to the work and murder of Sister Dorothy is both mind boggling and not surprising. This contrast reflects the reality that being an environmentalist requires some sort of privilege. Chico Mendes, indigenous to the Amazon, exploited the forest of its resources to survive and support his family and advocated for land and workers' rights for the poor. He was only allied with the environmentalists for their cash and did not necessarily identify as one himself. Through the lens of the commodification of resources in Latin American countries, like rubber and bananas, paired with the commercial imperialism of "developed" nations, we see the plight of this system as well as the shrewd decisions of indigenous folks in their engagement with moneyed peoples and places.

[Kelly Wong · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. This was tough. The history is fascinating but the writing made the telling of Chico's work so boring. I had a really tough time getting though this book despite being interested in the history of the rubber tappers and Chico himself.

[Ricky Kimsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder Of An Activist

This is about the murder of activist Chico Mendes. A man who devoted his life to protect the rain forest of the Amazon. Before going into the murder case the author gives you history and background to understand the circumstances of the murder.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The real-life tragedies of the country of Brazil and the man Chico Mendes

4 stars because I became bogged down in exposition. This book tells, not only the story of the fight to save the Amazon, but shed's light on current politics in Brazil.

[Tara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although the topic is interesting and sad, I thought that the writing style was boring, and it didn't help that this book was published in 1990, so a lot of the information is outdated now.

[Jennifer Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revkin's examination of Chico Mendes is far more than the story of his murder, or even his legacy on the workers in the Amazon rain forests. By taking a broadview look at Mendes' life and work, Revkin also tells the story of a debt slavery system and its slow undermining, and how the story of the rubber tappers and workers in the Amazon began as a human rights story which only later became a question of environmental or global concern.

Chico Mendes began his fight out of his love for the people in the rain forests; when informal education led him to encourage unions, organize workers, and fight for conservation, his eventual legacy was always rooted in his straight-forward desire for sustaining a way of life he'd always known, ideally in more livable conditions than imposed by the debt slavery which forced so many of the workers he knew to live without any options and all but starving.

Revkin's work examined every aspect of this story--the humans involved, the science involved, the history involved, and, of course, the money involved. Any reader who wants a look into the Amazon rainforests, or into struggles for human rights (moving out of debt slavery and poverty), will find a great deal to admire in this work.

Whether you come to the book for a look at the history, the conservation, or the story of Mendes and his legacy...it's worth your while.

Recommended.

[Rock · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Chico Mendes has probably one of the most inspiring and positive morals I've come across: by sticking to non-violence and finding common cause even with historically opposing interests, his goal of creating an official mechanism for sustaining the rubber tappers' lifestyle was more or less achieved. Of course, he was assassinated before it was fully carried out. But despite the positivity in the story, Revkin maintains a neutral tone throughout this book that sucks a lot of the drama and excitement out. Although he has many strengths as a writer (such as a sharp eye for details), they seem more suited to his day job as a NY Times journalist than a biographical format. I'm not looking for Chico Mendes! The Graphic Novel here, but he could at least throw in some cliffhangers here, or make some subplots out of his cast of supporting characters. I feel like it was a mistake to start the book with the murder of Mendes, thus guaranteeing little or no suspense for the rest of the book. I enjoyed this book due to my interest in environmentalism and politics, but I can't recommend it for the general public.

[Hugo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written book that took on the challenge of trying to convey in writing on how valuable the Amazon Forest is to humanity and it did a FANTASTIC job.

The book also talks about how huge the destruction of the forest was in the 1980s and how the local population (notably the Rubber Tappers) organized to reduce the destruction of their home: the Amazon Forest.

The book focuses on the life and struggle of Chico Mendes, a rubber tapper leader who organized a series of well orchestrated non-violent sit-ins throughout more than 20 years. The book also talks about Chico Mendes interesting links with international conservation movements as well as his murder.

Interested in international development and conservation --> to read!

[Andrés Bermúdez-Liévano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revkin, one of the best science journalists in the world, produced an incredible book. More than a mere biography of an interesting character like Chico Mendes, the book is a very thorough, well-reported and well-written exploration of why the Amazon matters, on the links between conservation and society and a wonderful explanation of the effect of climate change in such a sensitive and rich ecosystem and region (written at a time when climate change wasn't even an issue of public discussion).

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd initially wanted to read this book because Blake spent so much time in the Amazon translating for another rancher murder case. The topic is really interesting, but this book is SO boring. After letting it gather dust on the shelf for over a year since starting it, I finally finished it. It's unfortunate that such an interesting and compelling story can be made so boring.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of a champion of the Amazon rainforest.

[Trinity School Summer Reading]

Andrew Revkin, lead environmental writer for the NEW YORK TIMES (and friend), tells the tragic story of Chico Mendes, who organized rubber-tappers in the Amazon and was murdered for it.