Ambassador João Almino, Brazilian consul general in Chicago, is a writer
and diplomat. He is married to Brazilian artist Bia Wouk, with whom he
has two daughters, Leticia, who is 22, and Elisa, 18. Born in 1950, he is the
author of The Brasília Quartet, which comprises the novels: Ideas on Where to
Spend the End of the World, Samba-Enredo, The Five Seasons of Love (first
published in Portuguese by Editora Record; published in Spanish by
Alfaguara, México; Casa de las Americas 2003 Literary Award; in English
by Host Publications, 2008) and The Book of Emotions (Editora Record, 2008).
His works of political science and philosophy have been a reference source
for the study of authoritarianism and democracy in Brazil. They include the
following books: The Authoritarian Democrats, The Age of the Present, Secrecy
and Information, Once Upon a Time a Constituent Assembly and Still Life: The
Political Philosophy of Ecology. He obtained his Doctor degree in Paris under
the direction of philosopher Claude Lefort. He taught at the Autonomous
National University of Mexico (UNAM), at the University of Brasília (UnB),
the Instituto Rio Branco, Berkeley and Stanford.