"A country is made with men and books." (Monteiro Lobato). But, after contemplating this marvelous book that has become my favorite, I can affirm with all certainty: a country is also built through women. And Leopoldina is proof of that. Little is known about her story, perhaps because it is not as widely publicized as it should be. However, her intelligence and bravery propelled Brazil far beyond her time. Leopoldina was a woman ahead of her time: she could read and write, she mastered other languages, she studied different cultures, and she genuinely dedicated herself to the issues and people of Brazil. You know that kind of truly revolutionary person? Leopoldina was exactly that. #books