Though less well known than some of his Brazilian contemporaries like Antonio Carlos Jobim or Gilberto Gil, singer-songwriter Caetano Veloso's career has spanned some of the most significant developments in his country's musical history, as well as some of its most turbulent political events. He was an important figure in Tropicalia, an avant-garde late 1960s artistic movement with a cornucopia of influences, from Italian Futurism to psychedelia; its symbiotic relationship with left-wing politics earned Veloso the displeasure of Brazil's military junta, and several spells in jail. Since the 1980s he has become a cult figure, patronized by Brazilian music boosters like David Byrne and Arto Lindsay. His autobiography, TROPICAL TRUTH, is both a personal story and a memoir of turbulent yet exhilarating times, packed with vivid, eccentric, iconoclastic characters, and told in poetic, hothouse prose that echoes his lyrics and music. Throughout, Veloso displays an acute intellect, a refreshing sense of childlike wonder, and the excitement of discovery, viewing even his harrowing time in jail with an artist's eye for tiny, telling details. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.