This is an excellent political novel that addresses some fundamental issues of politics and diplomacy: how does a diplomat act if the country they're serving is a dictatorship? To what extent can a diplomat remain "his own man" with convictions and values? Max, the main character of the novel, is "his own man" in a different sense: his only goal is to advance his own career. Telles Ribeiro traces Max's journey through the years of Brazilian military dictatorship, his involvement in the coups in Uruguay and Chile, and his chamaeleon-like re-adaptation to democracy. Read my full review here: http://wp.me/p1gPfH-qR