"In this thoughtful monograph, Andrew Kirkendall provides an ambitious rereading of some of the classic themes of the post-Independence of Brazil, as well as a careful revision of the historiography on his principal subject: the law schools of Sao Paulo and Olinda... Far from a simple institutional history of these bastions of higher education, Kirkendall's work is instead a sweeping treatment of the production and evolution of a political class during the Brazilian Empire."-Roger Kittleson, The Americas -- Roger Kittleson The Americas "Kirkendall makes the important contribution of showing the process by which the political class was formed. That process and its interaction with the development of a Brazilian national identity make very provocative reading and should be of comparative interest to historians in other areas. This book will be excellent for graduate seminars as well as scholars in general."-Elizabeth A. Kuznesof, The American Historical Review -- Elizabeth A. Kuznesof The American Historical Review "This engaging little book speaks to several important issues in Brazilian history."-Hendrik Kraay, Journal of Latin American Studies -- Henrik Kraay Journal of Latin American Studies