This virtually unknown, insightful account by a highly intelligent, observant and forthright Frenchwoman of her decade-long stay in Brazil during the 1850s provides a remarkable firsthand view of a slaveocrat society. In an effort to improve their family's fortune, enterprising and highspirited young Parisian AdFle Toussaint-Samson traveled with her husband from France to Brazil in the mid 1800s. While there, she wrote of her experiences, painting a vivid and detailed portrait of the reality of slavery, gender relations, and daily life in mid-nineteenth century Brazil. This eminently readable primary document provides a firsthand view of a slaveholding society, describing both men and women, slave and free, rich and poor. Well written and lively, A Parisian in Brazil is an excellent resource for courses on Latin America, women in Latin America, and Brazilian history.
Author Biography
June E. Hahner is professor of history at the State University of New York at Albany.
