Fordlandia is Greg Grandin’s non-fiction account of Henry Ford’s cluster-fucky attempt to start a rubber plantation (and model town) in the Brazilian Amazon. It is also the only book that the Gay Uncle has ever officially reviewed. And guess what? It was just nominated for a National Book Award. Coincidence? He thinks not.
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Thanks for reminding me about this book. I’m going to get a copy. An amazing experiment which didn’t work, but they rebuilt just down river at Belterra and this town still exists – a total replica of mid-town America in the middle of the jungle. What is even more interesting from a sociological point of view is the number of old timers who still remember working on the rubber plantations and the conflict with the US ways of doing things. They sit round on their porches, chatting to friends and family and I have never been to such a seemingly happy town in my life. Best to stay at Hotel Belo Alter in Alter do Chao and take the short half hour ride by taxi: http://www.hiddenpousadasbrazil.com/pousadadetail.php?idpousada=42&Hotel-BeloAlter