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The Viceroy of Ouidah

By Bruce Chatwin

Fiction, General, Historical, Literary, Cultural Heritage | 101 pages
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'Quite simply dazzling' Observer

In 1812, Francisco Manoel da Silva, escaping a life of poverty in Brazil, sailed to the African kingdom of Dahomey, determined to make his fortune in the slave trade. Armed with nothing but an iron will, he became a man of substance in Ouidah and the founder of a remarkable dynasty. His one remaining ambition is to return to Brazil in triumph, but his friendship with the mad, mercurial king of Dahomey is fraught with danger and threatens his dream.

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Beverley Sutton
28th Jan 2025
"I travelled on the Benin & Togo Voodoo Discovery trip a couple of years ago, visiting the town of Ouidah as part of that trip. This book added such rich background to the sites I saw and the information provided by our tour leader. It was a fascinating read."
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