LETTER FROM SAO PAULO

Napoléon Bonaparte, on his white horse, wearing the insignia of the Légion d'Honneur and his tricorn hat, posed facing Sugarloaf Mountain. In the diaphanous and purple dawn, Guanabara Bay and Rio's tropical forest unfolded behind him. With his finger, the emperor pointed to an invisible element – the Corcovado, perhaps? – to the left of the image, in this vast Brazil he had just conquered. On his arm sat a majestic macaw with turquoise and golden feathers.

The least that could be said is that the cover of Marco Morel's latest book is inspired. In his work, O dia em que Napoleao quis invadir o Brasil ("The day Napoléon wanted to invade Brazil"), the Brazilian historian playfully revisited an obscure chapter of the "little Corporal's" saga, namely his "secret plans" to seize what was then a Portuguese colony. No less than 17, according to the author's count.

You have 83.86% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.