Joseph Page, author of the bestselling Peron, skillfully paints the definitive portrait of Brazil, its history, people, and culture. The fifth largest nation geographically, and sixth in terms of population, Brazil once had one of the strongest market economies in the world. Now, our southern neighbor - the second largest democracy in the Western hemisphere - is struggling to emerge from a deep economic and social crisis, the latest and deepest nosedive in a giddy roller-coaster ride that Brazilians have experienced over the past three decades. Page examines Brazil with an emphasis on the context of this current crisis, and the events leading up to it. In so doing, he reveals the unique character of the Brazilian people and how this character has brought Brazil to where it is today - teetering on the verge of joining the First World, or plunging into unprecedented environmental calamity and social upheaval. Read Less