cover image The World’s Poorest President Speaks Out

The World’s Poorest President Speaks Out

Yoshimi Kusaba, trans. from the Japanese by Andrew Wong, illus. by Gaku Nakagawa. Enchanted Lion, $16.95 (40p) ISBN 978-1-59270-289-3

In 2012, José Mujica, then the leader of Uruguay, gave a speech on consumer culture that echoed around the world. Mujica, “the world’s poorest president,” lived his values, donating most of his salary and declining official residences and drivers. When he stepped to the podium at the Rio+20 Summit, he spoke from the heart: “It is time for us to rethink what we seek in life.” Introductory text by Kusaba lightly frames Mujica’s declamatory speech, which nods to Epicurus and Seneca while discussing what makes a satisfying life. 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. If the volume offers little beyond Mujica’s speech, the message—that “progress must add to human happiness, not take away from it”—is as timely as ever. Ages 4–8. [em](July) [/em]