A Simple Brazilian Song: Journeys Through the Rio Sound

by James Woodall

This is an introduction to the culture of Brazil through its music. Taking in "carnival" and "samba," the book focuses on Chico Buarque, a Brazilian musician who has become a national hero through his music.

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1998

Reviews

[Tracy Duvall]

This is an unsatisfying mix of travel account, hagiography of select Brazilian musicians, and crass filler. The best parts provide historical details for hardcore fans or students of Brazilian music. The majority is either indulgent or shameless or both. It's also maddening to read Woodall's pontifications about pop music history when, regardless of his opinions, they so often reveal his incomplete knowledge of the topic at hand.