The War of the End of the World

Article number 10224083

In the impoverished backlands of northeastern Brazil, a charismatic preacher known as Antônio Conselheiro attracts thousands of followers who reject the authority of the newly established Republic. Former bandits, peasants and social outcasts create a religious settlement at Canudos, where they hope to build a community governed by faith. Alarmed by its growing influence, the government sends successive military expeditions to suppress the movement. Through the lives of believers, soldiers, politicians and journalists, the novel reconstructs the catastrophic conflict and examines how fanaticism, political ambition and mutual incomprehension lead to tragedy.