The Brazilians

by Joseph A. Page

A country warmly hospitable and surprisingly violent, physically beautiful, yet appallingly poor—these are the contrasts Joseph Page explores in The Brazilians, a monumental book on one of the most colorful and paradoxical places on earth.Once one of the strongest market economies in the world, Brazil now struggles to emerge from a deep economic and social crisis, the latest and deepest nose-dive in a giddy roller-coaster ride that Brazilians have experienced over the past three decades. Page examines Brazil in the context of this current crisis and the events leading up to it. In so doing, he reveals the unique character of the Brazilian people and how this national character has brought the country to where it is today—teetering on the verge of joining the First World, or plunging into unprecedented environmental calamity and social upheaval. Not since Luigi Barzini's The Italians has a society been so deeply and accurately portrayed.

Genres: Brazil, History, Nonfiction, Travel, Anthropology, 20th Century

540 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Joseph A. Page is a professor emeritus at the Georgetown University Law Center. His articles and book reviews focusing on Argentina and Brazil have appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Atlantic, and the Washington Post.

Reviews

[Karl Reinhard · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book just before my first extended trip to Brazil (6 months) in 1997. I thought it was an excellent book. However, as the weeks passed and as I visited more more places in Brazil, I could not see much overlap in Page's perspective on Brazil and my own. I reread the book in Brazil and found that he missed the missed the complexity of coevolved cultures and interdependent societies that make up the Brazil I know. Since then, I have lived for two years in Brazil and although some passages ring true to some extend, I think that Page's focus on "haves and have nots" is out of date.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joseph Page provides a sweeping review of Brazil and how it came to be the country it is today. It looks at the Portuguese conization, African slavery, the role of church and spiritualty as well as more modern influences like soccer (football) and telenuevas. The book covers a lot of ground and various topics as it looks at the different ways that Brazil has formed and the various dictatorships that shaped the political landscape today. If you have an interest in Latin American history and looking to understand Brazil it is a great book.

[Will Moncrieff · Rating 3 out of 5]

First ~100 pages are really interesting, but the detail is overwhelming. Need to be extremely interested in Brazil for this to be worth it.

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author somehow managed to make the Brazilians look like a dull people.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommended to me by one of my Middlebury Portuguese language professors, "The Brazilians" is a solid overview of a range of topics -- history, economics, culture, film, and literature -- through 1995. I'd recommend it to anyone who would like a general overview of all things Brazilian.

Though the author does an astute job of communicating the cultural complexity of Brazil, sometimes his generalizations are problematic (e.g., analysis of anal sex and its further relationship to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, p. 66). To his credit, the author does state that the book is filtered through the lens of his own personal experience, so I would just like to remind readers of this and caution them to remember it when they encounter generalizations, especially those that are not supported by any source material in the selected bibliography.

A lot has happened in Brazil since the mid 1990's and so this book left me longing for a more current analysis of the social, political and economic happenings. Recommendations anyone?

[Braden · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and thought-provoking analysis of Brazilian culture and history. I read it a few months before moving to Brazil and would be interested to reread it after a couple years of living here, or to read it with a Brazilian to hear their take on his analysis.

Age range: 18+
Some mature content that may not be appropriate for younger readers. Plus, the sociological nature of the book may be a barrier to them, despite the author’s engaging writing style.

[Deanna Brauer]

Wow, are Brazilians a complex people. I thought I had an open mind set about the world but reading this book made me realize that it's only so big. I have so much to learn. One thing that has been interesting as well is reading about the differences and similarities in slavery between North and South American and how that manifested into different forms of racism.

[aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apparently a must-read before I go to Brazil. I eagerly await it from Amazon.

23/11/2009 - it hath arrived! It's next up once the currently reading are read.

11/12/2009 - started it last night on the plane back to perth and was instantly hooked. writing style is engaging and informative. finding it already easier than "black lamb and grey falcon"

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. As an outsider who has spent a lot of time in Brazil myself it definitely conjured memories of similar experiences and observations I had. It is definitely told from an American perspective, but Mr. Page obviously has a deep affection for Brazil and it's people. I would be interested in what a Brazilian thinks about this book.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives a great overview of customs and events that portray and shape Brazilian culture. I have a multi-cultural family (my wife is Brazilian) and this has given me insight into her background and way of looking at things.

If you have relationships with people from Brazil, or just want to learn more about the interesting culture of Brazil, this book will enlighten you.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learn a little about Brazil, its history, traditions, societal structure, food, etc in a very accessible way.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to Brazilian culture and history - helping to understand a bit of what makes this country and people unique.

[Weavre]

I'll read this soon, just didn't get into it right now. It does look good, though.

[Suzanne Philp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely an interesting read, althought a bit out of date now. Looking forward to checking out the country for myself!