Review
'A brilliant account of a bizarre yet momentous event Wilcken tells this unfamiliar yet extraordinary story with elan. Empire Adrift is a model of historical writing, erudite yet lively, maintaining narrative vigour while accurately rendering complex events at different times in different continents. Wilcken combines a sense of place with a keen eye for the grotesque. He has a striking cast of characters to work with' Guardian 'Wilcken is a consummate portraitist, and one learns a great deal of the machinations and ambitions of diplomats and of the intrigues of royal relations' Irish Times 'Wilcken's perceptive and skilful narration of the extraordinary culture clash between New and Old Worlds is fascinating, at times hilarious and helps explain why modern Brazil turned out so differently from its South American neighbours' Alex Bellos, author of Futebol 'He writes well, describing events or evoking characters. The narrative is fast-moving and lucid By telling a good story, and placing it in multiple contexts, he makes Empire Adrift a distinguished and enjoyable first book' Times Literary Supplement
--This text refers to the
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Product Description
In 1807, at the height of the Napoleonic wars, the Portuguese prince regent Dom Joao made an extraordinary decision. Although horrified by the idea of sea travel, he opted to transplant his entire court and government to Portugal's largest colony, Brazil. With French troops closing in on Lisbon, aristocrats, ministers, priests and servants - a staggering 10,000 in all - clambered on board the rickety Portuguese fleet. After a rough transatlantic passage they spilled off their ships bedraggled, lice-ridden and dressed in rags, to the astonishment of their new world subjects. Thus began a unique 13-year period of imperial rule from the tropics. Rio de Janeiro was soon graced with a new opera house, lush botanical gardens and a royal palace - a 'tropical Versailles' set against the city's stunning jungle-clad mountains. But this metropolitan facade only partially obscured the brutal workings of what was then the largest slaving port in the Americas. While the court grappled with the dark side of its own empire, Brazil, with its eclectic mix of African, European and indigenous influences, was coming of age. Patrick Wilcken brings this remarkable period to the page, blending vivid contemporary testament with a rich evocation of the one time in history when European royalty went native.
