Rio de Janeiro. Cronaca di una città troppo eccitante

Writer and the City

by Ruy Castro

Ruy Castro delves into the past and present of Rio, where even in periods of comparative calm there has always been a palpable excitement in the air - the feeling of a city on fire.

In this spellbinding fifth entry in Bloomsbury's The Writer and the City series, Rio de Janeiro's vibrant history unfolds. While stiff-collared poets flirted with prim young ladies in coffeehouses during the belle époque, revolts were being plotted that almost destroyed the city. We learn how the iconic wave-patterned mosaics of Copacabana pavements were baptized with blood, and how more than a hundred years before the girl from Ipanema passed by, the girls from Ouvidor Street adopted French chic - and never really gave it up. From what is arguably the most breathtakingly beautiful city in the world, the people of Rio - the Cariocas - tell their stories: of cannibals charming European intellectuals; of elegant slaves and their shabby masters; of how a casual chat between two people drinking coffee on Avenida Rio Branco could affect world coffee markets; of an awe-inspiring beach life; of favelas, drugs, police, carnival, football, and music. With his own Carioca good humor and great storytelling gifts, Ruy Castro brings the reader thrillingly close to the flames.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, History, Brazil

Paperback

First published August 1, 2004

About the author

Rui Castro, na ortografia oficial. Nasceu em 1948. Começou como repórter em 1967, no Correio da Manhã, do Rio, e passou por todos os grandes veículos da imprensa carioca e paulistana.
A partir de 1990, concentrou-se nos livros. Publicou, entre muitos outros, as biografias de Carmen Miranda, Garrincha e Nelson Rodrigues, e obras de reconstituição histórica, sobre a Bossa Nova, Ipanema e o Flamengo. É cidadão benemérito do Rio de Janeiro.

Reviews

[João · Rating 4 out of 5]

A escrita de Ruy Castro é descontraída e calorosa, tal como o Rio, e, tanto ou mais do que as histórias sobre a história, sobre os cariocas, sobre a "garota de Ipanema" ou sobre a cidade, as suas praças, jardins e bairros, é ela própria um retrato apaixonado da "cidade maravilhosa".

[Pedro · Rating 1 out of 5]

O estilo de Ruy Castro é delicioso, mas o fato de ser agradável não esconde um problema do livro: a visão solar do Rio de Janeiro. Castro escreve um ensaio sem muita personalidade, em que os clichês sobre o carioca ganham mais uma camada de tinta. E um ensaio sem uma visão subjetiva perde muito de sua força.

Por outro lado, sempre se aprende uma coisinha ou outra, como a explicação da importância adquirida pelo desfile das escolas de samba na década de 70. É leitura fast-food, com a frívola simpatia que o carioca gostaria de ter, mas que nem sempre tem - que o digam Nelson Cavaquinho, Cartola, Nelson Rodrigues e outros.

[Pedro Alves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Numa escrita escorreita, entusiasmada e intima, Castro deambula pela história e estórias dos vários territórios e povos que são hoje o Rio de Janeiro.

De forma interessada e interessante apresenta-nos pequenas peripécias, personagens e alguns dos marcos na evolução do carioca e do seu legado.

Um livro de viagens em jeito de apresentação histórica e de contexto, de análise sociológica e política, de guia geográfico e turístico; uma ode à beleza, singularidades e idiossincrasias de umas das cidades mais sonhadas e desejadas desde a sua fundação e do imaginário ambíguo e intenso da sua população; pelos olhos de um deles.

[Eric Novello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruy Castro faz aqui um relato apaixonado do Rio de Janeiro. É um relato que deve encantar mais aos estrangeiros, por ser tudo tão belo, tão interessante. Não que seja um Rio de Janeiro turístico o do livro, é que o Rio são muitas cidades em uma só. E seria difícil falar de todas elas em uma única publicação. Pode-se dizer até que o Rio relatado aqui em parte existe e em parte não existe mais. Eu me identifiquei com muitas das passagens, com outras revirei os olhos. Cada carioca com seu Rio de Janeiro, acho. Isso quanto ao presente, pelo menos, um presente agora passado depois de preços altos dos imóveis, gentrificação, Olimpíadas, crivelas.

Ponto alto: a parte histórica do livro, contada com a leveza de uma crônica, seu humor malandro, é muito gostosa de acompanhar, e várias situações e acontecimentos me deixaram com vontade de pesquisar mais a fundo. A história da Floresta da Tijuca, por exemplo. Ou curiosidades sobre Copacabana. Enfim, não é um livro perfeito, como poderia ser sendo um livro sobre o RJ? Mas se você tem alguma ligação com o Rio de Janeiro, se mora lá ou se já o visitou, muitas das histórias desse Carnaval podem lhe ser interessantes e mudar o modo como você enxerga a cidade.

[Kati Stevens · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do I want to visit Rio now? Sure. Does the insane level of female objectification in this book almost get in the way of that? Yes. Fucking hate this book.

[Naeem · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the book you want to read after you've been to Rio. Like a movie review that you read after you've seen the film.

This is my second book by Ruy Castro. His book on Bossa Nova is a masterpiece. This one doesn't get achieve that level. But then the comparison is not apt because he is writing about a city that he loves and there is no pretense of being impartial. He makes a convincing case that Rio is the most fascinating city on the planet. And he provides the book and the city with its own particular flavor.

You get the history of the city, its neighborhoods, its famous people, its architecture, its music, its bars, its beaches, its topography, and its mythology. Its all there. And, the guy can really write -- he has a wry, amusing, style that seems to say, "hey, I love my city and I am having a good time writing this. I hope you are enjoying it too." What you won't get is a critical analysis. Let me know if such a book or article exists.

You can get your usual guidebooks before you go -- which I did not read in any case. But after you have been, this is the book to read. Then you can re-think and re-live what you experienced in Rio.

[Logan Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruy Castro presents his city, Rio de Janeiro, in a curiosity-piquing (albeit seemingly incomplete) overview of the Marvelous City. There were certainly a number of interesting tidbits, but nothing revelatory. I think it could be a good jumping off point for those interested in learning about Rio.

I found moments, however, in which Castro's view of the city is distorted by his own life living in Rio. There are a few instances in which the writer seems to treat a life of violence as a natural consequence of living in favela slums and seems to knock the favela dwellers for having established ramshackle homesteads on the otherwise pristine hillsides, instead of addressing the conditions that have compounded over time to make favela life the only option for many working class Cariocas. In addition, Castro seems to only acknowledge police harassment and persecution of Afro-Brazilians and those of a lower socioeconomic caste in a historical context, and all but ignores these groups at the time of publishing.

I also felt that the book could have forgone some of the depth provided in certain sections in favor of giving other parts of the city time to shine, since this is meant to be an overview of the city. However, as I understand the series of which this book is a part, the idea is to let writers have the opportunity to write about their city freely, so I don't think this is any more than a personal preference on behalf of Castro.

Rio de Janeiro: Carnival Under Fire is a romantic look at the history of Rio de Janeiro and an excellent tourism piece, but lacks any groundbreaking substance in my opinion.

[Ligia Leite · Rating 4 out of 5]

esse é um livro dos anos 2000 - de um homem branco, hetero dos anos 2000 - com todas as problemáticas e a visão idealizada que isso acarreta. e esse é um ponto fundamental a ser considerado na leitura. entre outras questões, a objetificação da mulher e uma visão idealizada das relações raciais na cidade são dois pontos muito presentes no texto, que gritam ao olhar contemporâneo.

feita a ressalva, a escrita de ruy castro impressiona, assim como o seu vastíssimo repertório. no livro, traz um texto de forma leve, quase como uma crônica longa, mas recheado de informações e anedotas sobre essa cidade que, para mim, tem um lugar especial não apenas por ter sido aquela em que escolhi viver, mas principalmente por ter sido aquela que escolhi como objeto de estudo. o livro é divertido e, se você consegue superar as questões problematicas, viciante. e te oferece diversas anedotas interessantes para usar na mesa de bar. bom pra distrair a cabeça e aprender um pouquinho no caminho.

[Estel · Rating 1 out of 5]

reduces women to a sexual object to be enjoyed by men / reduz as mulheres a um objeto sexual a ser desfrutado pelos homens

I would have given this book 4 or 5 stars if it hadn’t been for all the sexist comments that more often than not reduce women to a sexual object to be looked at, enjoyed and “worshipped” by men (who, in turn, are oftentimes portrayed as creatures who can’t help themselves - they are men and apparently this perception of women is “natural” to them).

Eu teria dado a este livro 4 ou 5 estrelas se não fosse por todos os comentários sexistas que, na maioria das vezes, reduzem as mulheres a um objeto sexual a ser olhado, apreciado e "adorado" pelos homens (que, por sua vez, muitas vezes são retratados como criaturas que não conseguem se conter - eles são homens e, aparentemente, essa percepção das mulheres é "natural" para eles).

[bom.dia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cidade maravilhosa vista por Ruy Castro, levando-nos desde a sua "descoberta" pelos portugueses até ao início do século XXI.
Como um apaixonado que só vê as qualidades de quem ama, também Ruy nos mostra o lado positivo do Rio, de propósito deixando de lado partes menos boas. Nem por isso é menor o gosto a sol e praia, e o samba ao fundo.

"Com essa bagunça que já lhe vem do berço, o Rio tem uma forte tendência ao épico - e uma tendência mais forte ainda, graças a Deus, a que esse epico termine em samba."

[Nestor Navarro · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author talk about the history of Rio from the Carnival perspective. The narrative is really great and take you in a journey since the Guanabara bay discovery to the carnival and the city nowadays.
Page by page you will undercover how Rio society, carnival and the city it self evolve and grow from their foundation.

[Vicente Bento · Rating 5 out of 5]

O "Carnaval no Fogo", de Ruy Castro, fez-me voltar ao Rio da Bossa Nova, do Samba e da boémia carioca dos séculos XIX e XX. Ai quem me dera ter vivido nos anos 50-60 e ver nascer aquele movimento cheio de jovens músicos promissores: Jobim. João Gilberto, Baden Powell e tantas outras estrelas desta constelação!

[Giuliana Magalhães · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lendo por conta do trabalho, mas achando bem ruim.
É um livro datado, cheio de generalizações, estereótipos e essencialismos baratos. Alguma coisa se salva, os fatos históricos, quando não romanceados.

[Maria Fernanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very heart warning and good humored writing.

[Hugo Tavares · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muito leve... talvez leve de mais e com pouca substância.
É, no entanto, agradável de ler.

[Rafael Duarte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devorei em 3 dias. Excelente redação e convite a um belo mergulho no meu Rio.

Ruy Castro em uma das suas mais belas obras. Espetacular!

[Patrícia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um boa introdução à história e encanto do Rio.

[Sónia Veiga · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.45 stars

A really delightful read about the history and culture of Rio de Janeiro. Some of the observations are a bit dated, but there's a lot of info packed into under 250 pages.

[James Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruy Castro's slim volume on Rio de Janeiro provides the casual reader a compelling portrait of that most intriguing of cities. Providing a rapid history of the city from the first Portuguese explorers to the celebrations of the dawn of the 21st century, he tells the tale of a city that has at times been the height of fashion, that has provided the world with at least its share of memorable movie scenes, more than its requisite portion of compelling rhythms, and a plentiful supply of legends, scandalous and otherwise.

Seemingly influenced by the flaneur approach to writing on cities (though not adopting the majority of that form's conventions) and with the long memory that comes of living in and loving a city for his whole natural life, Castro gives plentiful insight into a genteel experience of the city. He tells how Rio rose over its first few centuries, and then fell into the same morose situation that afflicted so many metropolises through the Cold War years, a conflation of the effects of over-exposure that turned an exciting, exclusive experience like early Copacobana into the banality of over-exposure, and a structuralist approach to cities that sucked them of life. Alongside the allusions to many a scandalous encounter, there are nods to the less glamorous aspects of Rio's underbelly, but the favelas, the drugs trade and Brazil's notorious crimeworld are skipped over with only the scantest of mentions.

Despite the vivid picture he draws, for all the talk of hypnotic rhythms, the book never quite grips the reader or imparts the carnival spirit on which its first half is almost entirely focussed. It may be that that detachment is telling of a divorce that has taken place between the Rio of legend and the Rio as experienced by a man who has lived through the city's awkward middle years and is still trying to work out a place in a new age, but it results in a less engaging book than one might hope this city would inspire. As a quick read, Rio is worth a look, but its not quite the mesmerising experience readers may be looking for.

[jw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another book from Bloomsbury's Writer and the City series. But while Edmund White's The Flaneur was written from the perspective of a longtime resident of Paris who had come to know and love the city over a decade or so of residence, by contrast, Rio de Janeiro is written from the inside, by a carioca born and bred in the city. It's difficult, in 200+ pages, to capture the feel and spirit of a city but Castro does a pretty good job of it with his evocative prose and vivid images of everything from Carnival and carioca low cuisine. Castro's informal, conversational style makes you forget sometimes that you're reading a book and feel instead like you're having a long chat with someone. He tells you stories of Rio, tales of acquaintances and old friends, the changes he's seen in his lifetime. He can sometimes come across as a little long-winded, repeating himself on occasion but so what? For the most part, you've enjoyed the conversation and you make plans to catch up over coffee another day.

[Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Castro is a fair writer, presenting an honest view of the city. I've never been, so I cannot base this on my own experiences. The book presents a little bit of everything which seems to be central to Rio: the nightlife, Carnival, the cuisine and, most importantly for me, the history. The problem with small books such as this one, which in a standard layout would maybe top 130 pages, is that the writer is prohibited from straying from the main path of introducing the city to the reader. I would say this book is the equivalent of spending two days in a major city - seeing the major sights, creating opinions and generalizations without really getting to know any citizen or neighborhood too well. However, the book did succeed in what I took as its major goal: to get the reader to go to Rio. Brazil is now definitely near the top of my travel list.

[Rachel G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give this 3.5 stars. While I loved the parts about history, some of the anecdotes, and some of the famous characters, I wasn't crazy about the overall vision, which was cliched, chauvinistic, and at times, possibly inaccurate (there's no bibliography, and I got the sense that some of the grandiose facts - Rio had the first this, Rio had the biggest that - may not be entirely accurate. Also, his views on women were particularly off - his allegation that Carioca women don't like makeup was just silly.) Also, the references to foreigners were odd - it was blatantly and irritatingly anti-American, but very pro-France (I guess that's a trend with some Brazilian intellectuals). In any event, a quick, interesting read, especially about Rio's history, if you can ignore some of the more annoying aspects.

[Henrique Vogado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Livro com samba e passeio na praia de Copacabana. Estilo desconstraído, com estórias curiosas sobre o Rio de Janeiro. A sua história, o seu desenvolvimento e como se tornou no que é hoje. Fiquei a conhecer muito mais de uma cidade de que conhecia os nomes através das novelas e não sabia onde ficavam. Interessante como no final do século XIX, Copacabana era uma zona virgem com uma praia enorme e palmeiras.
Muitas expressões cariocas ao longo do livro que dão um colorido às estórias. Desde as roupas pesadas europeias em pleno calor tropical até ao bikini e ao chope junto à praia. O Rio não é só Carnaval, mas é viver a vida diáriamente, porque amanhã não sabemos como será.
O samba tinha de nascer ali. Recomendo.

[Ana Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

After about 150 pages, I couldn't stomach Castro's smug carioca attitude anymore. Sure, okay, Rio is the best and most beautiful city in the country, the people are gorgeous and in a good mood all the time, and every year they pull off the biggest Carnaval celebration in the world without even trying all that hard. I know. But um, maybe he could have made more than a passing reference to favelas, poverty, and drug wars? Maybe he delves into those tiny complications in the last 50 pages, but I couldn't make it that far. Some of the history stuff at the beginning was pretty interesting, though.

[Flávia Carvalho · Rating 5 out of 5]

THis was a delicious book to read...the kind of that really leaves a taste on you.....
Ruy Castro has a captivating way to write....Or maybe he just knows too damn well what to write about!

(bought it in RIo one week before carnival 2008, downtown at the Alfarrábio)

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rio Revealed

Rui Castro is the eminent historian of Bossa Nova and tells here the city's many, many eras. Recommended for first time and repeat Rio visitors. Lots of buried treasure here, especially regarding how the Military transformed Rio in the tragic 20 year rule.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A This little book is packed of fascinating information; Rachelle gave it to me for a Christmas gift, and it has all sorts of cultural tidbits and fascinating facts about Cariocas and Rio.

[Hardeep · Rating 4 out of 5]

A most excellent book on the history of rio, and cariocas.

[G · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief but interesting look into the history of Rio and how different influences have shaped the city and it's inhabitants.