The World's Poorest President Speaks Out
Description
It is 2012. The world's leaders gather in Brazil for a meeting, the Rio+20 Summit. They have come to discuss the future of the world, which is facing an ever worsening environmental crisis. One after another, they give speeches, but no one says anything new. As evening falls, it is the President of Uruguay's turn to speak. José Mujica steps up to the podium, wearing a simple shirt with no tie. He is known as "the world's poorest president." He has this name because as president, José Mujica donates almost all of his salary to the poor. When he was elected, he decided that he would not live in the presidential palace. Instead, he would continue to live with his wife on their farm, growing flowers and vegetables. And he would drive his trusty old car, instead of being driven in the official, presidential one. What counts for President Mujica is what needs to be done, not the appearance of things. His countrymen love him and call him Pepe, which means Grandpa. As Mujica starts to speak, no one seems especially interested in hearing from the leader of such a small country. But by the time he has finished, the room will be filled with thunderous applause.
Product Details
Price
$16.95
$15.76
Publisher
Enchanted Lion Books
Publish Date
August 18, 2020
Pages
40
Dimensions
8.4 X 9.4 X 0.4 inches | 0.7 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9781592702893
BISAC Categories:
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About the Author
Yoshimi Kusaba is an editor and the author of and contributor to several books.
Gaku Nakagawa was born in 1966 and currently resides in Kyoto. A monk of the Jodo-shu Seizan branch Zenrin-ji, he became an illustrator in 1996, creating illustrations for various books and other publications. Internationally, he has featured in Monocle, a London-based publication that is distributed across twenty countries, and also for a special feature on world illustrators by renowned German art publishers TASCHEN. Notable works include cover and book illustrations for Manabu Makine's Toppinparari no kazetarou (Tokyo: Bungeishunju, 2013) and Bessatsu bungeishunjuu (Bungei shunju extra) (Tokyo: Bungeishunju, 2014). He won recognition in the 2013 Design for Asia Award for Ezoushi ryuutandan (Ezoushi Ryutandan) (2013) and Ehon kechou (Kechou) (2013). Andrew Wong was born in Singapore, and now lives in Tokyo. He spent six years away from Tokyo in Stirling, Scotland, and Fukui, Japan, which sowed in him ideas on different ways of life. Often wandering in and out of picture books and imaginary worlds with his wife and two children, his passion to share these worlds drives a blog on stories that he hopes will one day find a worldwide audience. This book is his first published translation.Reviews
Nakagawa's blocky digital illustrations adroitly illustrate the talk's themes--in one, a careworn man struggles to haul an outsize pile of possessions, including a house and car. The message--that "progress must add to human happiness, not take away from it"--is as timely as ever. -Publishers Weekly
This timely translation of a 2014 title originally published in Japan is based on a 2012 speech made by Uruguay's 40th president, José Mujica, delivered at the United Nations' Rio+20 Summit, held in Rio de Janeiro. Mujica, who was president from 2010 to 2015, was a simple, unassuming, and much-beloved leader. Rather than live in the presidential palace and get chauffeured around, he chose to remain on his farm with his wife and drive his Volkswagen bug, donating close to 90 percent of his salary to the poor and underprivileged. His speech on "Sustainable Development and Human Happiness" captured his audience's attention and admiration. He questioned whether the world had sufficient resources for its seven to eight billion inhabitants to live like Western societies. Bold, graphic, digitally created illustrations complement the text from the onset of the speech, where the audience appears bored, to the standing ovation at the end. A graphic spread precedes the start of the narrative, in which Mujica's wife reminds him to feed the chickens on the way to the Summit. Another spread depicts countless drivers in India stuck in a gridlock with noxious fumes filling the sky. VERDICT A thought-provoking, important message for these trying times.-SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
