An alluring land famous for samba, soccer, supermodels, and stunning tropical beaches, Brazil was described as "paradise on earth" by its first Portuguese explorers. Its annual Carnival is known the world over for its Dionysian revelry, and its Amazon rainforest is considered one of the planet's most precious resources. Yet two decades ago Brazil had a crippling debt and was emerging from a military dictatorship. Today Brazil is not only the world's eighth largest economy with a vibrant democracy, and may soon be a major energy exporter. Here, New York Times Rio bureau chief Larry Rohter gives us the definitive look at the country's amazing rebirth, through interviews with every important political, business, cultural, and religious leader on the scene, delivering a sharp and fresh account of the country's rapid and radical changes.--From publisher description. ""No one delivers a more insightful and thoughtful look at Brazil than Larry Rohter. His grasp and deep knowledge of my country gives you a sense of its dynamic and vibrant culture as well as the rapid ascent of its economy and its transformation from dictatorship to democracy. Anyone wanting to understand Brazil's place in the world today must first read this book."---Paulo Coelho, Author of the Alchemist" ""Larry Rohter has written with great insight on Brazil and South America for many years for The New York Times, and has now produced a splendid and timely, indeed unrivaled, book on Brazil's meteoric economic success. It is a tour de force."---Jagdish Bhagwati, Author of in Defense of Globalization" ""Essential reading both for those interested in Brazil and Latin America and those seeking to understand the fast-changing international landscape in which Brazil is now an important new player. No one is better equipped than Larry Rohter to weigh and measure Brazil's remarkable transformation of recent years."---Alan Riding, Author of Distant Neighbors: A Portrait of The Mexicans" ""Brazil is well on its way to becoming a great economic power, but it also is a country with a long and complex history. Larry Rohter knows the country inside out, loves it, and yet is able to bring an objective lens to help us understand where Brazil is coming from, the opportunities and challenges that it faces today, and its manifest destiny. A must-read."---Anil K. Gupta, Coauthor of Getting China and India Right" ""A timely, readable study of Brazil's history and current prospects... Offers an evenhanded consideration of some of Brazil's most celebrated artifacts, including Carnaval, soccer, and samba... With the recent granting of the 2016 Summer Olympics to Rio de Janeiro, Rohter's accomplished overview proves a solid brush-up."---Kirkus Reviews".