Product Description

In 1812, Francisco Manoel da Silva, escaping a life of poverty in Brazil, sailed to the African kingdom of Dahomey, determined to make his fortune in the slave trade. Armed with nothing but an iron will, he became a man of substance in Ouidah and the founder of a remarkable dynasty. His one remaining ambition is to return to Brazil in triumph, but his friendship with the mad, mercurial king of Dahomey is fraught with danger and threatens his dream.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #56030 in Books
• Published on: 1998-11-28
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

Review
"'Quite simply dazzling' Observer"

About the Author
Bruce Chatwin reinvented British travel writing with his first book, In Patagonia, and followed it with four other books, each unique and extraordinary. He died in 1989.

Customer Reviews

Great picture of what Africa has been in 19th
I've never been very attracted by Chatwin journals but this novel really convinced me of his qualities as a writer. The book sheds light on a region of the world we often discover for the violence of its riots and revolts. The plot is intriguing; what remains, though, is the portrait of a land where different populations and cultures never made an effort to really comprehend each other. Really intense.