Customer Reviews

WHY IS THIS COUNTRY DANCING?

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is supposed to be a book about Brazilian music, but it's obvious the author knows nothing about the subject. He meets some of the most illustrious names in MPB, yet asks inane questions or tries to be funny at their expense. Many times it seems as if he had never heard the music of the person he was interviewing. In addition, each page is full of factual errors and misspelled Portuguese words. If you like Krich's flippant writing style you may like the book. But if you want to learn about Brazilian music, go elsewhere.

An excellent, accurate and entertaining account of the interaction between Brazilian music, politics and social structure.

Well, I have to disagree somewhat with the comments of my amateur book-reviewing collegues. This is not a book about Brazilian music, it's a book about Brazil seen through it's music. I'll agree that as a book about Brazilian music, it fails miserably. As a book about Brazil... well it doesn't succeed, but only because no country or populace in the world can truly be understood through just one viewpoint. Brazil=music is a handy way of ttrying to look at the subject, but ultimately as false as any other single assumption. Laudibly, Krich is observent enough to write about the harsh realities that lie behind Brazil's image of sun, samba, and mulattas (Therefore 2 stars instead of just 1). Nevertheless, the end result is the same as if a foreigner wrote about the U.S. as interpreted through jazz after visiting L.A., Chicago, and New York and then taking a bus tour through the Deep South. A good itinerary to write about jazz, but not if you are writing about the country as a whole. The base premise defeats the purpose of the book.

Superficial, lame, irritating and full of mistakes. Why was this even published?

Krich's literate yet frequently caustic style may irritate many yet few writers are as capable of communicating the cacophony of third world musical forms now competing for our attention. I very much enjoyed this witty book and found its strong rhythm as irresistible as Brazilian music. If you love CARNAVAL few have ever captured the gringo experience in words as well Krich.