“There are many merits of Mattos’s book and its important contribution to making Brazilian labour history better known to English-speaking readers.” • International Review of Social History“Moving outside the walls of university campuses and instead touching the hearts and minds of common people—particularly the youth and teachers in schools but also activists of social movements—Mattos’s most widespread contribution to contemporary Brazil is bringing attention to the fact that human beings were enslaved, which is a necessary modification in the way Brazilian history is perceived and told.” • The American Historical Review“This is a fine piece of historical scholarship. Accessibly written and deeply researched, it offers important insights into the ways in which, despite their differences, enslaved and free workers combined their experiences as members of a working class with the ongoing movement to abolish slavery.” • Henrique Espada Lima, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina