Professor Pedro Calmon, whose historical contributions now span half a century, has written a voluminous biography of an extraordinary chief-of-state. Emperor Pedro II contributed more than any other individual to the shaping of nineteenth-century Brazil. Offering a wealth of detail and anecdote, these five tomes closely adhere to the chronology of Pedro’s life. Emphasis falls on the personal life and thoughts of the man rather than on the times. Each volume opens with excellent illustrations. Professor Calmon bases much of the biography on archival material. Pedro’s own diaries are thoroughly used and well integrated into the narrative. The footnotes serve as a valuable guide to original sources for a study of Brazil during the last century.
This biography appeared as part of the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Pedro’s birth. Such celebrations give vent to effusive tributes. Obviously the author rose to the occasion, indicating his enthusiasm for his subject with this lengthy eulogy. Doubtless the wealth of information available here will buttress later interpretive studies of the Second Empire.
