The Power of Ideas

The Power of Ideas aims to highlight the means by which Carlos Lacerda, being politically engaged, sought to ideologically manipulate the reader. His belief in the 'power of ideas' led him, from an early age, to take a liking to literature, a medium through which, throughout his tumultuous political career, he disseminated his political ideas, both as a journalist, writer and translator. As a writer, Lacerda has a remarkable literary output - more than fifty works in a variety of genres. As a translator, it could be said that he 'chose' the works he wanted to translate, works that in his view could shed light on the political situation in Brazil. The politician-translator often used all the paratextual material in his literary works and translations to spread his own political ideas. This book takes a close look at three translations made by the 'Wrecker of Presidents'. It seemed inevitable that, by virtue of his great passion for politics, his no less intense passion for literature and his true belief in the 'power of ideas', Lacerda would be tempted to bring these ends of his life together and go from being a politician-translator to a 'political' translator.