Overview

Nemesis is the story of an ordinary man who became the king of the largest slum in Rio, the head of a drug cartel, and perhaps Brazil's most wanted criminal. It's a gripping tale of gold-hunters and evangelical pastors, bent police and rich-kid addicts, quixotic politicians and drug lords with math degrees. Traversing through rain forests and high-security prisons, filthy slums and glittering shopping malls, this is also the story of how change came to Brazil. Of a country's journey into the global spotlight, and the battle for the beautiful but damned city of Rio, as it struggles to break free from a tangled web of corruption, violence, drugs, and poverty.

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9781520000299

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Reviews

Fearlessly reported with impressive detail .Mr. Glenny doesn t preach or moralize. He shows that law enforcement in Rio is as problematic as the criminals, and in doing so, he paints what seems to be a true picture. This is a balanced book in the best sense. Incredible . an epic, painstakingly detailed story about the rise of a favela kid to king of an empire . what Glenny does so well is explain the context for Rio s drug world, and the battle to contain and (to use the word local officials concerned about Rio s global image employ) pacify it. What emerges is not just a study of one man and how he came to control a cartel, but a portrait of a city bursting with new arrivals from poorer parts of Brazil, unfortunates who wind up clustered in shantytowns that lack adequate water, electricity and, crucially, economic opportunity . Without glorifying Nem or trying too hard to justify his bitterly violent enterprise, Glenny humanizes a kind of person we tend to see drawn as a two-dimensional character. And he shows how the fortunes of Rio to say nothing of its reputation on the world stage are tied to its ability to do well by its poorest and most marginalized citizens. A balanced, but ultimately sympathetic, biography of the leader of a relatively small local drug cartel. Nem s personal story anchors more profound reportage about Brazil s parallel economic and political systems specifically, Rocinha s existence as a largely autonomous urban community and what happens when the government attempts to destroy, substantially reduce, or otherwise encroach on that autonomy. His name is Antonio Francisco Bonfim Lopes. But you can call him Nemesis, everyone else does, and he was the don of Rocinha, the largest of Rio s slums, known as favelas. He is also the protagonist of Misha Glenny s fine book, the grim, elucidating Nemesis: One Man and the Battle for Rio . For all the tale s vileness, it is very skillfully told and a very strong piece of journalism. In 1999, with no criminal background, Antonio Francisco Bonfim Lopes was a typical resident of Rocinha, trying to figure out how to survive and support his family in one of Rio de Janeiro s largest favelas. Less than six years later he was known as Nem, in charge of the large criminal organization unofficially ruling over Rocinha. The story of Nem acts as the glue for this title, in which journalist Glenny successfully explores the history of Rio de Janeiro, focusing on the violence, drug trade, politics, police forces, and related corruption within Rio s favelas since the 1960s .Glenny employs a writing style that both keeps the story moving and the reader wanting more. Fearlessly reported with impressive detail....Mr. Glenny doesn't preach or moralize. He shows that law enforcement in Rio is as problematic as the criminals, and in doing so, he paints what seems to be a true picture. This is a balanced book in the best sense. In 1999, with no criminal background, Antonio Francisco Bonfim Lopes was a typical resident of Rocinha, trying to figure out how to survive and support his family in one of Rio de Janeiro's largest favelas. Less than six years later he was known as Nem, in charge of the large criminal organization unofficially ruling over Rocinha. The story of Nem acts as the glue for this title, in which journalist Glenny successfully explores the history of Rio de Janeiro, focusing on the violence, drug trade, politics, police forces, and related corruption within Rio's favelas since the 1960s....Glenny employs a writing style that both keeps the story moving and the reader wanting more. His name is Antonio Francisco Bonfim Lopes. But you can call him Nemesis, everyone else does, and he was the don of Rocinha, the largest of Rio's slums, known as favelas. He is also the protagonist of Misha Glenny's fine book, the grim, elucidating Nemesis: One Man and the Battle for Rio.... For all the tale's vileness, it is very skillfully told and a very strong piece of journalism. A balanced, but ultimately sympathetic, biography of the leader of a relatively small local drug cartel. Nem's personal story anchors more profound reportage about Brazil's parallel economic and political systems--specifically, Rocinha's existence as a largely autonomous urban community and what happens when the government attempts to destroy, substantially reduce, or otherwise encroach on that autonomy. Incredible.... an epic, painstakingly detailed story about the rise of a favela kid to king of an empire.... what Glenny does so well is explain the context for Rio's drug world, and the battle to contain and (to use the word local officials concerned about Rio's global image employ) pacify it. What emerges is not just a study of one man and how he came to control a cartel, but a portrait of a city bursting with new arrivals from poorer parts of Brazil, unfortunates who wind up clustered in shantytowns that lack adequate water, electricity and, crucially, economic opportunity.... Without glorifying Nem or trying too hard to justify his bitterly violent enterprise, Glenny humanizes a kind of person we tend to see drawn as a two-dimensional character. And he shows how the fortunes of Rio -- to say nothing of its reputation on the world stage -- are tied to its ability to do well by its poorest and most marginalized citizens.

In 1999, with no criminal background, Antonio Francisco Bonfim Lopes was a typical resident of Rocinha, trying to figure out how to survive and support his family in one of Rio de Janeiro s largest favelas. Less than six years later he was known as Nem, in charge of the large criminal organization unofficially ruling over Rocinha. The story of Nem acts as the glue for this title, in which journalist Glenny successfully explores the history of Rio de Janeiro, focusing on the violence, drug trade, politics, police forces, and related corruption within Rio s favelas since the 1960s .Glenny employs a writing style that both keeps the story moving and the reader wanting more.

His name is Antonio Francisco Bonfim Lopes. But you can call him Nemesis, everyone else does, and he was the don of Rocinha, the largest of Rio's slums, known as favelas. He is also the protagonist of Misha Glenny's fine book, the grim, elucidating Nemesis: One Man and the Battle for Rio.... For all the tale's vileness, it is very skillfully told and a very strong piece of journalism. A balanced, but ultimately sympathetic, biography of the leader of a relatively small local drug cartel. Nem's personal story anchors more profound reportage about Brazil's parallel economic and political systems--specifically, Rocinha's existence as a largely autonomous urban community and what happens when the government attempts to destroy, substantially reduce, or otherwise encroach on that autonomy. Fearlessly reported with impressive detail....Mr. Glenny doesn't preach or moralize. He shows that law enforcement in Rio is as problematic as the criminals, and in doing so, he paints what seems to be a true picture. This is a balanced book in the best sense. In 1999, with no criminal background, Antonio Francisco Bonfim Lopes was a typical resident of Rocinha, trying to figure out how to survive and support his family in one of Rio de Janeiro's largest favelas. Less than six years later he was known as Nem, in charge of the large criminal organization unofficially ruling over Rocinha. The story of Nem acts as the glue for this title, in which journalist Glenny successfully explores the history of Rio de Janeiro, focusing on the violence, drug trade, politics, police forces, and related corruption within Rio's favelas since the 1960s....Glenny employs a writing style that both keeps the story moving and the reader wanting more. Incredible.... an epic, painstakingly detailed story about the rise of a favela kid to king of an empire.... what Glenny does so well is explain the context for Rio's drug world, and the battle to contain and (to use the word local officials concerned about Rio's global image employ) pacify it. What emerges is not just a study of one man and how he came to control a cartel, but a portrait of a city bursting with new arrivals from poorer parts of Brazil, unfortunates who wind up clustered in shantytowns that lack adequate water, electricity and, crucially, economic opportunity.... Without glorifying Nem or trying too hard to justify his bitterly violent enterprise, Glenny humanizes a kind of person we tend to see drawn as a two-dimensional character. And he shows how the fortunes of Rio -- to say nothing of its reputation on the world stage -- are tied to its ability to do well by its poorest and most marginalized citizens.

Author Information

Misha Glenny is the author of Dark Markek McMafia, The Rebirth of History, The Fall of Yugoslavia (which won the Overseas Press Club Award in 1993 for Best Book on Foreign Affairs), and The Balkans: Nationalism, War and the Great Power, 1804-1999. He was a BBC Central Europe correspondent-he covered the fall of Communism and the wars in the former Yugoslavia-and has been regularly consulted by the U.S. and European governments on major policy issues. Zach began pursuing the creative life early on in his mother's dance studio. He upped his artistic ante by transfering to Interlochen Arts Academy where he began to study acting. Zach Villa has acquired considerable acclaim as an actor, musician, vocalist, dancer & songwriter. A 'jack of all trades, ' Zach appeared on Broadway and at Carnegie Hall before re-locating to the West coast

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