Neill Lochery (Get this book) Well-focused look at the authoritarian rule of charismatic Brazilian president Getulio Vargas (1882-1954). Unlike fellow British scholar Michael Reid in his recent broad overview, Lochery keeps the spotlight on the buildup to World War II, when Brazil, then a resources-rich provincial backwater, was eyed as a valuable asset by both the Axis and the Allies. Assuming power in 1930 and then ruling as a dictator from 1937 to 1945, Vargas was determined to make Brazil a stronger, more modern power politically, economically and militarily. "Brazil may still have been waiting for its future to arrive," writes the author, "but by the time Vargas was entombed, his capital was at least living in the present."Colorful personalities and tricky maneuvers make for a lively drama.--Kirkus
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