A Concise History of Brazil (Cambridge Concise Histories)

As an American Expat, I have lived in Brazil for a little over seven years, so I wanted to get a historical and sociological understanding of Brazil, I’ve learned a great deal and I have found the book to be very even-handed in its analysis of events and government policies. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about The True Brazil. The English Translation was very readable and enjoyable.

Fair price for this used copy. Book is as it was described by the seller, mollow3. Would definitely buy from this small, independent seller again.

The book is full of important informations and well balanced opinions. Latin America is my favourite field of interest. Although I speak Spanish and Portuguese, the English language sources are indispensable.

Excellent book

I've had the opportunity to live in Brazil two times for a total of four years. I've never had the chance to learn about Brazilian history until now.

Thank you!

Superlative. Written with clarity and passion, a comprehensive political history of a complex nation. Ideally the Faustos would have covered the cultural aspects of Brazilian history (i.e., literature and music, particularly re women's roles and Afro-Brazilian life in this surprisingly conservative and patriarchal country), but that would entail a much longer book. Highly recommended.

After reading through half the book I know almost nothing about the period covered. There are detailed accounts of politicians, factions and revolutionaries, whose names are mentioned only to be forgotten by the reader. The worldview is wholly missing. When I think of what Brazil was like in 1700 or 1800, how people lived, what they did, how they thought, how they viewed their country, I find that I have learned nothing. However, I know that landowners had different interests than the king, that tariffs were imposed, that the price of sugar and coffee dropped, and the succession of kings and rulers. The author does not see the forest for the trees. I don't recommend this book. It is a waste of time.

A dense and tedious walk through Brazilian history. Perhaps I hoped for too much, and maybe this is more appropriate for the professional historian, but detailing the historiography of the work, continually backing up general points with myriad statistics, and referencing future events before formally introducing them all come together to make this book totally inappropriate for the novice to Brazilian history. I’m not sure whether there exists a better read for someone wanting an overview of Brazil's history, with perhaps more of a focus on the "characters" of history (even if this goes against modern historiographical sensibilities). Suffice it to say if, like me, you wanted to learn about Brazil within the confines of an entertaining read this is definitely not the book for you. Copious typing and grammatical errors (including words simply missing) throughout the book doesn’t help endear this book to the reader either as they trudge through reams of statistics while struggling to understand key figures and movements in Brazilian history. Avoid unless you are a professional.