Die If You Must: Brazilian Indians In The Twentieth Century (v. 3) [Paperback]

John Hemming (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 033049371X | ISBN-13: 978-0330493710 | Publication Date: October 31, 2004

'Die if you must, but never kill' was the injunction to his officers of Candido Rondon, first leader of Brazil's Indian Protection Service established in 1910, as a new age of development and exploration began in the Amazon rain forests. Die If You Must completes John Hemming's authoritative trilogy on the history of the Brazilian Indians and covers the fate of the Indians in the twentieth century as 'civilized' life began inescapably to invade their world. John Hemming describes tough expeditions and thrilling first contacts with Indians, notably by the dedicated and exuberant Villas Boas brothers on the Xingu river. The book also tries to show the trauma of contact from the indigenous side and the devastating pressures on their lands and way of life. But the story of the Indians' fightback is as exciting as the contacts deep in the rain forests and was achieved by a coalition of activists - non-governmental organisations, some government officials, missionaries (most of whom radically changed their attitudes), and above all by the indigenous peoples themselves. John Hemming has created a exuberantly vivid, brilliantly detailed picture of the Indian way of life.It is nothing shor

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Hemming was Director of the Royal Geographical Society in London from 1975 to 1996. He has been on several surveying and environmental-research expeditions to unexplored parts of Amazonia, and has probably visited more Indian tribes than any other non-Brazilian. He is the author of fourteen books including the prize-winning The Conquest of the Incas

Product Details

• Paperback: 855 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan (October 31, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 033049371X
• ISBN-13: 978-0330493710
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,336,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well worth the wait!, October 27, 2005

By 

Mr. James A. Newton (London) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Die If You Must: Brazilian Indians In The Twentieth Century (v. 3) (Paperback)

I think it's been about 18 years since I bought 'Amazon Frontier' by John Hemming, the second book in his trilogy charting the history of contact between the indians of Brazil and the invaders from Europe. Since that day I've been eagerly awaiting the hoped for final book. In brief 'Die if You Must' does not disappoint at all. It is clearly well researched, factual with a strong dash of humanity and crammed with stories and information that thrilled me, saddened me, horrified me and ultimately left me with feelings of hope. The accounts of first contacts with hitherto unknown, understandably wary or hostile people are incredibly intense and I found it easy to imagine the mutual terror and excitement felt by both the indigenous nations and the people seeking to contact them. Stories of tribal revitalization and resistance in the face of seemingly unsurmountable opposition are great to hear. We hear tales of honour, shame, morality, courage, grief and guilt in the very personal accounts of people both indigenous and neo-Brazillian in the wider scope of the book. It's a shame that like so many other pages in history, that of the indigenous peoples of Brazil is one that is sadly neglected by the media and writers alike. Thankfully there are still people like John Hemming determined enough to bring their stories and histories to a wider audience. A fantastic book, detailed maps and information, I could go on and on. Best piece of non-fiction I've read in years. Incredible!