With the current war on terrorism underway here is a book that gives a venue to voices that are often silenced and ignored. Each year in Porto Alegre, Brazil, thousands of activists meet at the World Social Forum to exchange information, discuss challenges and plan social action to combat the neoliberal excrescences of globalisation (globo-colonisation). The book is essentially a compilation of the documents that emerged from the Forum in 2002 and as Fisher and Ponniah contend, it offers both a 'snapshot' of the left's perception of world affairs in 2002 and a deeper dialogue that lends a practical face to the desired alternatives to globalisation.

A key theme throughout is the collective call for 'the reinvention of democracy,' something that Fisher and Ponniah see as,
The reinvention of society such that the mode of economic production, the structures of political governance, the dissemination of scientific innovation, the organization of the media, social relations and the relationships between society and nature, are subjected to a radical, participatory and living democratic process (p 13).
This reinvention manifests itself in grassroots, bottom-up participation on an international scale both North and South and across lines of gender, sexual orientation, culture, and so on.

There is an impressive number of contributors and while they possess a shared general rejection of neoliberal economic policies they are also diverse in their responses towards combating the aggressive nature of globalisation. From radicalists to reformers, there are those who would abolish the multilateral lending institutions and there are those who would instead push for strong reforms within the existing international system. The diverse backgrounds of the contributors result in some documents offering vague or general ideas while others offer detailed assessments and specific proposals. The central thesis is that neoliberal globalisation only serves to perpetuate and strengthen inequalities.

The book's four parts demonstrate the panorama of interests as held by the tens of thousands of World Social Forum participants. The general thrust of the book is apparent from the beginning with the declaration that "the market needs to be regulated and guided by the democratic control of the public" (p. 28). And this control is to be achieved by pursuing 'new forms of participatory democracy,' 'a new internationalism,' 'a reconstitution the left,' and 'the struggle against war.' From there, the book concentrates on ways and means of pursuing this desire, and in an interesting way it exposes the diversity in opinion within the left.

Such diversity is especially obvious when discussing issues of debt, trade, financial capital, transnational corporations, labour and solidarity economy. Some contributors call for a coordinated economic policy, functioning at the global level and with a central bank. Moreover, it is suggested that the US, Europe and Japan could perform this function as their responsibility to undertake this task results from their having "pressured the world into a system of brutal competition" (p. 89). Others support the idea of anti or deglobalisation, replacing imports with local production.

The second part disputes the capitalist held position that globalisation, with its 'free' and 'open' markets, is the natural alternative to communist regimes. Presented here are compelling arguments concerning the incompatibility between neoliberal policies and nature's renewability and non-sustainability and bankruptcy of the ruling world order. Not surprisingly, there is harsh criticism of the World Trade Organisation's Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs), with Oxfam UK drawing attention to the irony that, "all these rules will affect the lives of billions of people, yet until recently they have been introduced with minimal public debate" (p. 137). The documents in this part not only stress the impact and problems of TRIPs but also give detailed campaign strategies for combating negative affects.

Later parts expose issues such as the challenge of ensuring 'the right to information' when confronted by the reality of international media monopolies, this in addition to covering a range of fascinating topics from the 'hidden apartheid' of discrimination, migratory issues, expanding international sex industry, absence of global legal infrastructure for human rights, and the idea of a World Parliament. Near the end of the book James Petras gives a military definition of the current situation, underlining the thinking of many of the book's contributors. "In reality we are facing a situation of permanent warfare...We on the left have the capacity to intervene in the economic crisis if we make clear proposals" (pp. 299-300).

In summary, the book demonstrates the overarching shared ideologies of the contributors. This does not diminish the book's richness or utility, rather it brings together an invaluable collection of the left's perceptions and thinking with respect to offering alternatives to neoliberal globalisation. There is important reading for all those concerned with constructing economic models that serve society rather than vice versa. An editorial conclusion would make a welcome addition to future editions of this book. This edited volume provides a useful reference for those interested in the movement for global justice and solidarity.

Alexander I Gray, PhD
Marie Curie Researcher
Universidad de Deusto, Spain

The Brazilian Sound is good as far as it goes - a who's who list and discography of 20th century Brazilian music. Although, the book has the feel of a junior college textbook, it's written in plain language. It would be a relatively easy read if it were not that a parenthetical list of Brazilian names breaks up every third or fourth paragraph. There are some very informative passages - notably the chapter on Bossa Nova and the "Escolas de Samba" section of Chapter 2. At their best, the authors provide clear and comphrensive explanations of the geneology and sociological context of the music.

Unfortunately, unless a person is willing to spend countless shopping hours and a couple of thousand dollars building up collection of Brazilian records, he or she will gain almost no insight from this book into what the music feels like. The authors describe individual works and artists in only vague terms - terms often identical to those previously used to describe others. They beat the term "syncopation" into irrelevance - it's clear only that all Brazilian music is syncopated. The authors habitually refer to folk music genres and song forms ala "Composer X's work is all based on the Y song form..." But they provide no practical examples or definitions of those genres or forms.

The authors stridently dumb-down their text, accepting as axiom that one has to "hear it to believe it" and that it is meaningless to describe Brazilian music in technical terms. They generally refrain from even using common musical terms - bar, measure, pulse, key, etc. - to give the reader a clearer understanding of Brazilian rhythmic and harmonic structures. They use few effective musical comparisons or verbal metaphors. It is understandably difficult to describe music in writing. But it is possible. Judicious use of metaphor, comparisions, and technical descriptions would have greatly fleshed out what in the end comes off as a skeletal text.

This 1998 edition serves as the update to the first, apparently published in 1990 or 1991. However, the amendments appear to have been quite minor - embodied by an isolated paragraph here and there, and four meager pages in the final "More Brazilian Sounds" chapter. It's as if nothing has really happened in the evolution of Brazilian music since 1990 - an impression that must be wrong.

The Brazilian Sound catalogs decent research, but is neither good writing nor effective music history.

The best book ever written about Brazilian music in English, "The Brazilian Sound" is a beautifully written, in-depth guide to samba, bossa and other Brazilian genres. Many of the reviews below are on the mark, but BGB from WA seems not to have read the book (or to have read a different book!). The 1998 edition substantially upgrades the original 1991 version. There is much added in terms of early history, capoeira, racial issues, choro, and the blocos and afoxes in Bahia. There is more on important artists from the 1990s, like Marisa Monte, Daniela Mercury, Carlinhos Brown, Chico Cesar, Chico Science and Karnak, though these additions are in various chapters, not just the final one ("More Brazilian Sounds"). One needs to have actually read the book to know that, of course...The music is nicely described, in both musical and cultural terms. One gets a strong sense of how it sounds, and a clear understanding of its rhythmic, harmonic and melodic ingredients. Some of the writing is rather encyclopedic, dispensing a rather staggering amount of information, while many sections vividly convey a sense of the music. I often felt I was at a bossa nova club in '59, at an escola de samba rehearsal, watching one of the 1960s song festivals, or attending a forro party. "The Brazilian Life" brings to life both the current and past greats of Brazilian music. As a result, I added quite a few CDs to my collection, especially of artists like Milton Nascimento, Pixinguinha, Jobim and Marisa Monte. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

You could fill a book with all the information I _don't_ know about Brazilian music... In fact, these guys already have! Concise, conversational, informative and very well laid out, this is an exceptionally readable book. Chapters on samba, bossa nova, tropicalia, forro and jazz include focused biographical sketches of dozens of key artists, as well as succinct historical information about the progress of Brazilian music from its European and African folk roots into its bewildering and often beautiful modern offshoots. The book's focus is nonpartisan: although there is plenty of room for aesthetic criticism within the various styles, the authors generally hold their preferences and dislikes to themselves. They do, however, give readers a good sense of which recordings might be best to check out -- an invaluable service considering how little of Brazil's vast musical output makes it to the United States. Highly recommended! Certainly the best English-language guide to Brazilian pop that you will find in print (online is a different matter), this is great for casual listeners and hardcore fans alike.

I loved this book. It is such a pretty piece of writing. It is erotic, the story line is rapid and intriguing and the setting and characters are luscious and fun. I sincerely hope Mr. Schnorbach has more titles in the pipeline. Any red-blooded male reader will surely fall for the lovely, lively and humane Maria. I rarely comment on cover art but - Ted de clercq did a wonderful job. I already know that I would like to collect his art. Try this book even if it is a bit obscure. I suggest that a major publisher pick up this talented author. Oh, I just may sell the farm and move to Bahia de Salvador, to seek my Maria.

Fascinating plot. One can't predict where they will be led with these pages, but the book can't be put down. The author attains a rare goal of easy reading combined with complex thought patterns. He succeded by dropping me into the story...making me a part of the community. A wonderful tropical paradise with a sharp edge. Honestly, Schnorbach compares favorably with other more noted authors, and even a little more enjoyable than the early Hemmingway...nobody will disagree. I am waiting for Schnorbach's next title with baited breath. Kevin Pauza, M.D.

Congratulations to this fascinating novel that lets you participate in the experiences of an American that changes his center of life from New York to the state of Bahia in Brazil.

The main character is confronted with corruption and intrigues, but also experiences the beautiful and friendly Brazilian people. If you have experienced Brazil, this book definitely brings back many memories, but even if not, the author's descriptive language takes you there and puts the reader inside the story.

I can definitely recommend this book to any reader to discover what Einstein's Garden is, I also like the book because of its beautiful paperback cover.

In this book, the protagonist is Tony Last, an Englishman who would much rather tend to his beloved estate in th country than join his wife on trips to see their arrogant and aristocratic friends in London. Brenda, the wife, becomes bored with their quaint life, has an affair, and Tony's son dies in an accident. In a strange twist, on a trip to South America near the book's end, he ends up in the dense jungle in the care of an illiterate man who promises to let him go but instead forces him to read aloud from Dickens. The main idea is that betrayal follows Tony wherever he goes-- from his wife in England to the enigmatic man in the jungle. It's a enormously humorous satire of the London aristocracy,in which the people treat their "friends' misfortunes as entertainment. In fact, they gossip about the affair his wife is having in his own house, during a party he is throwing. The jungle is a parable for London-- seemingly harmless at first, but with dark undercurrents of backstabbing, lies, and treachery. A terrific novel by a Waugh, a brilliant writer.

This being the third of Waugh's novels I have read, it is probably my favorite. Waugh is easily the most readable of the great British authors of the 20th century.'A Handful of Dust' is not as funny as 'SCOOP' but it is sharp satire of British society. The book has alternate endings and I prefer the one where Tony and Brenda reunite.

The story centers around the Last family, principally Tony and his wife Brenda. All the elements of the demise of a marriage are contained in this masterpiece - a stodgy husband, a cheating wife, and a tragic death. Beware ladies because the females in the novel are on a whole as weak and superficial a group as ever encountered. Waugh at the time of its writing was reportedly recovering from a failed romance and no doubt was influenced by a jilting fiance. Brenda Last,in particular, is a character you will love to dislike. Brenda's infatuation with the 'neer do well' mama's boy, John Beaver, stretches the reader's imagination.

Both conclusions are appropiate and you will be staisfied with either.

Written by Evelyn Waugh in 1934, this British novel is a biting satire of the silly lives of the upper class. The author is master of the nuanced barb and he uses them with seeming delight and controlled rage. It is an unpleasant book to read and I know I would hate the author if I met him in person, and yet I can appreciate his skill in creating the discomforting atmosphere, his fascination with things that go wrong, and the dark side of human nature.

Tony Last, an aristocrat who devotes himself to the upkeep of his expensive ancestral home is blind to the infidelities of his wife Brenda, who parties in London with her sycophantic lover. There's a whole cast of vapid characters, each exquisitely developed with revealing detail. When tragedy strikes it's like a piece of chalk scraped upon a blackboard, and as the story continues to unfold, and Tony travels to the jungles of Brazil, the plot swerves into a painful absurdity. It's all one big farce and yet there is no comic relief. And by the end of the book, only sadness prevails.

I must give this book a high ranking however because of Mr. Waugh's skill and his uncanny ability to uncover some painful human truths that I'd rather not see. I can therefore only recommend it to students of human nature who are willing to be tormented in the same way the author torments his characters. Just be forewarned.

Birds in Brazil is a big book, beautifully produced on quality paper. It is exhaustive but never exhausting on the topic of Brazilian birds . The color illustrations are beautiful, but unfortunately they are separate from the text about the birds. That is the book's only fault. The text is in smooth and enticing English, and where the same birds are to be found migrating to the United States, the information is quite comparable in completion and interest to the American field guides of Roger T. Peterson. That leads me to believe that the information about birds that we don't experience will be equally accurate. This book is captivating and well worth the price. It is a coffee-table style book that we will be proud to use and to display.

Latin American Research Review, No. 35/1, 2000, contains a review article entitled "The Brazilianists' Brazil: Interdisciplinary Portraits of Brazilian Society and Culture," by Piers Armstrong. It contains about a page and a half on "Brazilian Mosaic." I suggest you may want to include that excerpt as a review of my book.

G. Harvey Summ

I picked up this book after reading Kinder's "Ship of Gold". This book was writen a few years before when captain William Lewis Herndon, who went down with the Central America in Kinder's book, was sent on a journey across the continent of South America via the Amazon river by the US government. He extensively records all his findings and observations, from elevation and river depth numbers, to the exotic wildlife of the river basin. Gary Kinder has done a great job editing down the origional manuscript, and has made a 150 year old book a very readible one today. That's quite an accomplishment, and it helps that Herdon was also a very good writer! What I found most interesting were Herndons personal ideas and oppinions he recorded. 150 years has drastically changed the way we think, and the gap in time is very evident. This book was writen before the abolition of slavery and the events of the 20th century. Herdon states the potential he sees at every turn on his journey to make profitable trades for the natural resources of the the land, and considers it a shame that such resources should go squandered or unnoticed by indians when they could fetch a huge sum in other parts of the world. Of course, we now cherish the rainforests of brazil as a vanishing wilderness on earth. I feel the book is almost more important as a study of 19th century thought than a study of the amazon. I'd like to se a updated edition with footnotes. There were many times when I'd read one of Herndon's observations and wonder how modern science and understanding would explain what he saw and experienced. Read this book expecting to learn more about Herndon than the Amazon.

If you read and loved Gary Kinder's "Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea" then you will find "Amazon" to be quite interesting. The book was actually writen over 150 years ago by Herndon, the famed captain of the Central America, the subject of "Ship of Gold" which sank in a hurricane a few years after Herndon crossed South america along the Amazon from Puru to the Atlantic ocean. He was sent on the journey by the US government to extensively record his findings on the continent. Kinder does a wonderful job in both his introduction and editing of the book. It is quite a feat to make a 150 year old book readible. (Kinder has removed irrelivant information recorded extensively by Herndon on the expedition.) What I found most interesting are his personal ideas and visions for the land, and the gap in time that brings such a unique style to his writing. For Example, being that the book was writen before the civil war and the abolition of slavery, Herndon often is critical of savage indian natives. He also has a vision for colonization and considers it a shame that the vast plant, animal and mineral resourses of the amazon are not taped by the US government or any government in trade routes. Of course now, in a world threatened by polution and over populated cities we see the amazon as one of the last areas of untamed wilderness on the earth. I found his comments fascinating and was intrigued at how different the world is today. The one thing I absent from book are footnotes- There were many times when Herdon would describe something and, knowing the changes in scientific discovery over 150 years, I would wonder what he really observed and why. I finished the book with a lot of questions and few answers, but I did have an inderstanding of American thought and vision from the 1850's, and I can't say I've ever read another book that shows that so well.

... but told in a much more stylish and readable manner. I bought this book on the strength of reading about Capt. Herndon's sacrifice in Gary Kinder's "Ship of Gold...". He seemed to epitomise the old-style captain, caring about his passengers, crew and above all his ship, and I was interested to read more about the man.

I was not disappointed; what could have been a dusty tome full of only facts and figures, emerges as a rivetting account of the trials endured during the trip, and vivid descriptions of a land that was as yet virtually unknown to the 'civilised' world, told as a very readable narrative. This easy style is what captured the hearts and minds of the Anmerican (and European) public in a book which went into several reprints of 10,000s (as opposed to the usual Congress print run of 100+!).

It also captured the imagination of a certain Samuel Clemens, who, after reading the book, immediately took steamer from St.Louis to New Orleans to get a boat to the Amazon. Imagine his disappointment when he found no passage ... sitting, bemoaning his ill luck, he hears the cries of the steamers "Mark twain!" - the rest is history.

I have one reservation (hence only ****); during his editing & research for the book, Mr.Kinder deletes a lot of sections that I personally would have found very interesting, such as crops grown, goods & minerals available and costs of trade items. If these had been included as an appendix, I think it would have added to the charm of the book.

Nevertheless, one of the best pieces of historical travel writing I have ever read.

This is a great book to see how countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile and Mexico made their structural reforms to fight for a democracy and to be part of the most potential countries in the region. Definitely, this is a book that the congressman in Paraguay should be reading, and every other country in Latin America that wants to follow potential countries like Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico.

As a student of various Romance language, I purchased this book thinking it would allow me to learn Portuguese even more quicker, however, I was disappointed. The book uses mnemonics in order to help readers memorize words by using clever catch ryhmes, but instead of helping, it only confuses the student. I would pass on this series and any other books published by the University of Texas Press (e.g. "Simoes Com Licenca," etc..). Texas is a great place to learn Spanish, but if you really want to learn Portuguese, I highly recommend Georgetown University's "Travessia" series. It is an excellent book, audio, and video series that allows students to learn the language at an easy rate. Save your money and pass this book by!

I have studied 4 languages beside Portuguese and purchased this book thinking it might be useful. Actually, this book uses a vocab learning aproach that incoorperates the sound of portuguese words with English definitions of those words in English rhymes. For example, "early" ("cedo" in Portuguese) might be presented as "SAY DO you want to call Dave, and be EARLY for tomorrow's parade?" Anyone familiar with language aquistion knows the most effective way to learn vocabulary is to define words in terms of images or vocabulary already aquired in the language. The idea of remembering a Portuguese word using English rhymes is silly and inappropriate for anyone seeking lasting mastery of the language. A real disappointment.