A.J. Lees’ Brazil That Never Was is an engaging treasure, urgent in its message, thrilling in its telling. His masterful tale marries the grandeur of the natural historian with the passion of the outlier poet.

The slim volume is bite-sized, an easy day’s meal for the reader, yet its nourishment suffices for a long dream life, where it feeds an ability to fly. Experiencing a well-made book lends haptic reality to its subject. Distant histories, fantastic tales, and perfumed secrets are made flesh.