Brazil and Errol Uys fit the bill perfectly. The country is a fascinating amalgam of colonisers, native Indians and slaves and Uys has a compelling narrative style with down-to-earth dialogue, a first-rate selection of events to illustrate, leading to many a sub-climax, and a wealth of representative individuals to portray. You will be spellbound by the detail of the life and customs of the Tupí Indians, you will shake your head with disbelief at the Boy's Own adventures of the bandeirantes and you will be carried away by the treachery of the first failed movements for independence, mirroring those in the United States. The section on the devastating Paraguayan War is my favourite in a continuous stream of highlights, with its cinematic sweep from bloody battlefields and wounded soldiers to corrupt dictators and their beautiful mistresses.

Just as a postscript: this book inspired me to learn Portuguese, travel to Brazil and study its history; I can not personally praise it more than that.

23 of 23 found the following review helpful:


A very readable account of Brazil's history  Sep 18, 2000 By Jeroen van de Graaf
The book treats Brazil's history in the form of a novel. I believe the book to be the most accessible account to Brazil's history. History books are often very boring, but because of the novel-format this book is easy to read, also giving insight into everyday aspects of life. Some of the characters are ficticious, but the author writes that as far as the historical characters are concerned, the story agrees with what has been recorded about these persons. And from all I have learned since about Brazil's history, this has been confirmed. I've read the book twice already, borrowing it from the Montreal public library. Now I am married to a Brazilian and live in Brazil, and I am buying it, partially as a reference.

13 of 13 found the following review helpful:


Review from a Brazilian  Jan 19, 2004 By J R Zullo
Brazil's history, sociology, ethnicity, politics, etc. are as big and complex as the country size. To capture all these matters in a correct way in just one book is a task that's simply impossible. However, I feel that Errol Lincol Uys knew that, and what he has done in his book is to create a "big picture"of Brazil, and that was the right thing to do. His research and knowledge of the portuguese language are impressive for a non-brazilian, although there are many mistakes, in both aspects. When these mistakes were relative to the language, I found them completely normal, because portuguese is a very difficult and complexe language, even more difficult for someone who comes from a non-latin-speaking country. When the mistakes were relative to brazilian history and its further development, I was angry at first, but then I realised that Uys, as a foreigner, had access mostly to the "normal" and "adjusted" history of my country. Every country has its "adjusted" history, the history full of martyrs, dramatic situations, sword duels, fights for freedom, etc. That's the history that Uys tells his readers.

One other thing. As many authors dealing with the fictionalized history of a country, Uys makes a common mistake. He simply ignores the latest century. As a consequence, the book pratically ends at the turn of the twentieth century, and many interesting and important things have happened in Brazil in the XX century are left behind: Getulio Vargas, the transition from an agrarian to an industrialized country, the military dictatorship and many, many more. Of course, as I said before, it's impossible to completely cover an entire country's history in just one book, but "Brazil" could be two- or three-hundred pages longer and it would not be better or worse, just more complete.

So, in the end, "Brazil" is a good start for someone who is interested in the country. The book is mostly accurate and well researched, but it's just a gimpse of what Brasil really is.

Grade 8.3/10

12 of 12 found the following review helpful:


Fun and educational  Nov 10, 2000
As a Brazilian born US resident who was educated in both countries, I found the book fascinating. It was not only entertaining, but it also filled many "gaps" in the knowledge I had of the country. Having had some years of Brazilian History in school was really helpful in allowing me to pinpoint fact from ficton, and that made the book all the more enjoyable.

9 of 9 found the following review helpful:


History made pleasant  Sep 22, 2000
I have lived in Brazil for almost 14 years, and this book was the best and easiest way to understand the somewhat confusing history of the country. Not to mention that the story line was gripping enough to make you want to continue reading, in spite of the length of the book. Viva Errol Uys for making history pleasant!

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