PDF Capoeira and Candomblé: Conformity And Resistance In Brazil by Floyd Merrell in History

Review

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Prompt delivery!!! Also; the book was ...By Yvette WyattPrompt delivery!!! Also; the book was a gift to my husband who is a Contre-Maestre in Capoeira. He loves it!!!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. This book is greatBy nicole brimmerThis is a great book; gives an indepth look into Brazilian culture; Candomble and Capoeira practices. Well worth the read.6 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Playing in the "bodymindspirit"By Nancy L. WattersonMerrell's book offers a fresh perspective on the tradition of capoeira; particularly with his emphasis on the influences of candomble. Merrell builds upon and references Mestre Acordeon's often-cited insights (of "playing in the dark;" "playing in water;" "playing in the light;" "playing with the crystal ball;" and "playing in the mind"); attempting to explain to readers the feel and power of "playing in the bodymindspirit." For those who like pondering ways of being (i.e; notions of "becoming;" of ambiguity; and of the processual)--and I do--this work is truly enjoyable. While this book may be a bit weighty or academically abstract and philosophical for some capoeiristas' tastes; Merrrell's work fills an important niche in 8-10 top books in English written on the subject. As but one example of his scholarly flights of imagination; see his handling of Exu; trickster by default; and the complexities of moving beyond "either/or" and "both/and" thinking to a third way of thinking; or "thirdness." Expect coverage of complex topics; a bit of "jargon" (appropriate for a scholarly work well-informed by years of research in Latin American history)--and you'll be rewarded with a book that makes you go "hmmmmmm." Axe ASCAB