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In Chapters in Brazil's Colonial History, Capistrano de Abreu created an integrated history of Brazil in a landmark work of scholarship that is also a literary masterpiece. Abreu offers a startlingly modern analysis of the past, based on the role of the economy, settlement, and the occupation of the interior. In these pages, he combines sharp portraits of dramatic events--close fought battles against Dutch occupation in the 1650s, Indian resistance to often brutal internal expansion--with insightful social history. A master of Brazil's ethnographic landscape, he provides detailed sketches of daily life for Brazilians of all stripes. Superbly translated by Arthur A. Brakel and edited by Stuart Schwartz and Fernando Novais, this Brazilian classic has never before available in English. Chapters in Brazil's Colonial History opens Brazil's rich, fascinating past to the general reader, and offers scholars access to a great turning point in historical scholarship.
This work investigates the foundational economic, social, and territorial forces that shaped Brazil from its discovery in 1500 through the end of the 18th century. João Capistrano de Abreu, a seminal figure in Brazilian historiography, utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to synthesize the complex development of the nation. By prioritizing the role of interior occupation and economic structures over mere political chronology, he provides a framework that explains the evolution of Brazilian society. His analysis bridges the gap between academic rigor and narrative accessibility, offering a comprehensive view of the colonial era.
What You Will Find
Scholars recognize this text as a foundational contribution to Brazilian historiography, noted for its shift toward social and economic analysis. Readers frequently highlight the clarity of the prose and the author's ability to synthesize vast historical data into a coherent, readable narrative.
Page Count:
270
Publication Date:
1998-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0199938822
ISBN-13:
9780199938827
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