Rio de Janeiro : urban life through the eyes of the city /

The "eyes of the city" that shape Jaguaribe's masterful work evoke not only the unforgettable, urbane imagery of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but also the social, cultural, and technological processes that have shaped both images and dissemination and the divergent gazes that have read them over time. Jaguaribe's graceful, compelling essays move smoothly from the 19th- and 20th-century metropolis claiming its place on a world stage through modernism and authoritarian regimes, toward contemporary sprawl and Olympic projections. Jaguaribe (communications, Federal Univ. of Rio de Janeiro) provides equally insightful analyses whether dealing with architecture and planning, photography, carnival and other celebrations, literary models of the flaneur, or film or other visualizations. In particular, the author shows herself at home in deconstructing elite modernist visions and revisions and in guiding readers through subaltern readings that emerge from the photograph, the crowd, the beach, and the favela while engaging Brazilian and other global scholarships. Hence, Jaguaribe complicates visions of the best-known icons of this city through history, social process, aesthetics, and political economics while challenging scholars in humanities and social sciences about how they must rethink urban imaginaries. A stimulating and important book for all academic audiences. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Most levels/libraries. --Gary Wray McDonogh, Bryn Mawr College