The author of this book is a seasoned journalist who has been a watcher of Brazil for more than 40 years. For 15 years, he was the Bureau Chief for the New York Times in Rio de Janeiro. He is married to a Brazilian.
He writes a fantastic book, in my opinion, that is full of insight and information about the transformation of the Brazilian economy over the past 20-30 years. His story starts with his recollections of the country in the early `70s: a censored press, a repressive military dictatorship and a backward economy primarily dependent on the exportation of sugar and coffee.
Today, Brazil, with more than 200 million people, has the fourth largest Democracy and the sixth largest economy in the world. It abounds with natural resources, such as extensive farmland, water, oil and gas, and many minerals. Per the author, the promise of agriculture is so great for Brazil that he says it could the "Planet's breadbasket," if it needed to be. Currently, agriculture represents 40% of the nation's exports. The U.S. imports something like 90% of its frozen orange juice from Brazil. It is the world's leading exporter of coffee, and is second behind the U.S. in the production of soybeans. It also exports more beef than any country in the world, and it has twice the number of cattle as the U.S. In 2009, China replaced the U.S. as Brazil's leading trade partner, largely because of the exporting of iron ore to China.
Thus, the real story of modern Brazil has been the rise of its economy. Forty years ago, Brazil was considered a "developing" country. Its natural resources were, essentially, for sale. Per capita income was about $1,000 per year. Phone service was limited, as was the development of major industries, other than coffee and sugar. But the decision was made to limit imports via high tariffs and to invite manufacturers to build factories in Brazil to manufacture their products. San Paulo, the largest city in Brazil, became the country's economic engine. Today, Brazil is on the world's stage, especially since its selection to host both the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics.
But Brazil has growing pains. Today, it lacks sufficient infrastructure. It has a very limited rail system; most of the country is without paved roads; and, its airports, ports and other international facilities lack the standards and quality needed to absorb the projected growth.
And Brazil also has shame of its past: Most of its native people were decimated. Less than one million descendants survive today. And, the country has the shame of its horrible history of slavery and the sugar plantations. But an ironic twist relating to the history of slavery, Brazil, today, has more people of Japanese ancestry in any country other than Japan. (Japanese laborers were imported to work the coffee plantations after slavery was abolished.) The author makes the point that Brazil, collectively, has yet to confront the same of its past.
The country also reeks of inequality, and much of that has to do with skin color. More than half of Brazilians claim African descent via their census forms. But only about 10 percent remain dark Black. In fact, most Brazilians of mixed decent do not consider themselves "Black." They consider themselves "mixed" or "mulatto."
Also, Brazil has a long way to go to improve its public education, health care, general standards of living, and middle-class wages. It also has a history of racial class distinctions and of bribery of government officials. And, it has a history of social hierarchies and of "privilege."
But Brazil also has Rio de Janeiro, with its nearly 60 beaches and more than 100 miles of oceanfront land. Officially, Brazil is the largest Catholic country in the world. But, as in most of Latin American, the percentage of Catholics is giving way to the rising percentage of protestants.
In summary, the above is only some of the insight and information contained in this excellent book. There are sections on the history of Brazilian literature, music and other arts. There are details on political history, including personal insights of the makeup of recent Brazilian presidents and their pros and cons. The author talks about the food, the production of ethanol, and the general nature of Brazilian society. There is also a full chapter on the Amazon and how this amazing resource challenges the government to both conserve and exploit. (90% of Brazil's electricity now comes from hydroelectric power.)
I found the book to be an excellent read. I highly recommend it.
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Top reviews from other countries
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NinjaReaderReviewed in Brazil on December 26, 2017
Biased - visão muito pessoal do autor do livro
- MarcosReviewed in Brazil on November 28, 2014
Interesting read and facts a newcomer should know, but…
- C. I. WrightReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2013
Pick and read the best chapters (1,6-10)
- Ab WondergemReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 30, 2013
I thought I knew a bit about Brazil
