Valdo’s first passion was reading. Reading brought him closer to Geninho. And Geninho introduced him to communism. The idea that inequality was an injustice and that there were people fighting to end social oppression changed the boy’s life. Determined to join the Communist Party, Valdo opened the gates of the ranch and set out into the world. With few possessions and almost no money, he secretly boards a train bound for Rio de Janeiro.
There, he believes legendary party leader Astrojildo Pereira will surely welcome him with open arms and personally guide him into the ranks of activism, where his life will finally make sense. But Astrojildo is not in Rio. He left for Moscow, without a return date. And Valdo has no money. Instead of fighting for the liberation of the oppressed class, he becomes a wage earner, a construction worker. To make matters worse, he works on the project that will culminate in a massive icon of alienation: the Christ the Redeemer statue.
A vivid and fascinating portrait of Brazil at the turn of the 1930s, Eu vos abraço, milhões is a must-read that combines the Prestes Column and the 1930 Revolution with the reflections, perplexities, and fantasies of an unforgettable character.
