Publisher's Synopsis
A study of the everyday lives of the inhabitants of Sao Paolo in the 19th century. The book concentrates on the lives of working women – black, white, Indian, mulatta, free, freed and slaves – and their struggles to survive. The author vividly describes the jobs, both legal and illegal, which women engaged in. Her research leads to some surprizing discoveries. She shows that frequently women were the main provider in families and their work was crucial to the running of several urban industries. Many aspects of city life are investigated, from conspicuous consumption to the politics of urban space.
