First published 1991
Journalist Alma Guillermoprieto documents her year living in Mangueira, a village outside Rio de Janeiro, where she immersed herself in the world of samba. She explores the sensuous music and dance form characterized by its rapturous rhythms. Guillermoprieto participates in the preparation for Rio's famous carnival parade, observing the community's dedication to this cultural tradition. Her account reveals the social fabric of the village and the role samba plays in the lives of its residents. The book captures the intensity of carnival season and the months of preparation that precede it. Guillermoprieto writes as both participant and observer, learning the steps and rhythms while documenting the cultural significance of this Brazilian art form. Her narrative shows how samba functions as more than entertainment, serving as a vital expression of community identity and cultural heritage.
Genres: social-science, non-fiction, music, 21st-century, journalism, cultural
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: participant-observer, social-fabric
Setting: Mangueira, Rio de Janeiro
Period: Carnival Season
256 pages · Paperback · Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group