Brazil - Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture [Paperback]

Sandra Branco (Author)

Book Description

Series: Culture Smart! | Publication Date: September 5, 2006

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.

Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include


* customs, values, and traditions
* historical, religious, and political background
* life at home
* leisure, social, and cultural life
* eating and drinking
* dos, don'ts, and taboos
* business practices
* communication, spoken and unspoken


"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." Sunday Times Travel

"... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries." Global Travel

"...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas." Observer

"...as useful as they are entertaining." Easyjet Magazine

"...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world." New York Times

Editorial Reviews

Review

Culture Smart! has come to the rescue of hapless travellers, Sunday Times Travel - ...the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries, Global Travel - ...full of fascinating, as well as common sense, tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas, Observer - ...as useful as they are entertaining, Easy Jet Magazine - ...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world, New York Times.

About the Author

SANDRA BRANCO is a Brazilian-born writer now living in the UK. After graduating in Communications from São Paulo University she worked as a video and television producer and scriptwriter in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Bahia, and Ceará, before going on to gain an MA in Screenwriting at the Northern School of Film and Television in Leeds. She now lives and and works in London.

ROB WILLIAMS is a senior lecturer at the University of Westminster in London, running MA programs in Applied Language Studies and International Liaison and Communication. He has lived and worked in France, Spain, Germany, Romania, and Brazil. He is also a lead consultant for CultureSmart! Consulting.
Britain

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Kuperard; Reprinted edition edition (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1857333233
• ISBN-13: 978-1857333237
• Product Dimensions: 4.4 x 0.5 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #292,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Reference > Etiquette > General
  • #46 in Books > Travel > Latin America > South America > Brazil
  • #74 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Travel > Reference & Tips > Guidebooks

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brazil- Culture Smart: the essencial guide to customs & culture, March 14, 2010

By 

Dr. Virginia M. Pearson (USA or Brazil) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Brazil - Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture (Paperback)

I recommend this little book to businesspeople and all who want a concise but complete overview of Brazilian customs and culture. It is very good.
One comment: in the chapter Business Briefing, it is said that "it is better to be more formal and use titles (Senhor, Doutor, etc) accompanied by the (Brazilian's) last surname". But actually in Brazil we use the titles (Senhor, Seu, Doutor, etc)followed by their first name. Example: Doutor Jorge, Seu Antonio, etc). This is a formal way to address a person in Brazil.
One can use the title followed by the last surname (as the book suggests) only when the person is already known by their last surname (which in many cases is used almost like a nickname). Example: If the name of the person is Fernando Figueiredo but he is known as Figueiredo, so you could call him Seu Figueiredo (if you want to be formal).
Confused? My advice: Observe how other Brazilians address the person you are talking with, (but do not forget to consider the hierarchical status of all involved).

Dr. Virginia Pearson
Cross-Cultural facilitator
Ph.D. in Cross-Cultural Psychology and International Management
(...)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for anyone needing to know about Brazilian culture, May 17, 2011

By 

blueridgecutter18 - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Brazil - Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture (Paperback)

This is a fantastic book! It covers a basis of information about the country, it's history, and most importantly it's people. Covering everything from what to wear to travel safety, I found everything in this book useful. It is small, and was a quick read. In a peprfect world, i would have wanted it to go more in depth in a few areas, but I felt that the primary goal of the book was to give a basis of information, and it succeeded!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A little culture before you go., August 13, 2008

By 

SexySmartGal (Mentor, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brazil - Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture (Paperback)

Reads quickly. About an hour. Some good tips. Pretty basic. Still, better to know something about the culture than nothing.