Terrific read!
I have been interested in Brazil since I was 17 and my family hosted an exchange student from Brazil. I have been in Brazil twice--once for 7 weeks, and recently for 2 1/2 weeks. It is a beautiful country with friendly people. I was doing research on an "adult learning" mini- class I taught on Brazil: Language and Culture, when I ran across this title.
I knew something of the history of Brazil, but not much detail of the lives of the Emperors and their families. This book covers the time from the birth of Dom Joao in 1767 through the 50-year reign of Dom Pedro II, which ended in 1889.
Bertita Harding writes the history of the Braganzas in a delightfully entertaining way. She brings fully to life the historical characters with their follies and foibles intact. I found the book so intriguing I could hardly put it down.
From the opening line, "The Queen of Portugal was mad. . . ." to the end of the final chapter, the author drew me into her narrative in a compelling way. Her emphasis is on the personal lives of these emperors more than the affairs of state, and she often uses personal letters to advance the narrative.
You don't have to be a Brazilophile to enjoy this book. It is about people, not politics, and their lives are fascinating.