被譽為「金磚四國」之一的巴西，較之中國、俄國和印度是近年來最急速發展的國家。經濟分析家一致認為：巴西的潛力仍有待開發。去年，巴西已躍升全球經濟強國第八位，不僅是美國的天然石油的主要供應國，也是在去年經濟危機中最快復甦的國家之一，令人瞠目結舌，也讓巴西站上國際政治和金融舞台的重要位置。《Brazil on the Rise》一書將為讀者剖解這個新興國家的過去和未來。
Two decades ago Brazil had a debt that made some Third World countries blush, but today it has the world's eighth largest economy, poised to overtake France. It has achieved energy independence and, with the discovery of the largest oil field in the last century, is becoming a major exporter of crude oil to the United States. With its successful bid for the 2016 Olympics, Brazil, at last, is ready to take its place on the world stage.
In this richly textured look at the country today, New York Times reporter Larry Rohter gives us the authoritative account of the culture and politics of Brazil, uncovering:
how Brazilians handle the burden of being custodians of the Amazon rainforest;
Brazil’s latest exports, from the samba, supermodels, and soccer, to airplane parts;
the myth of Brazil’s sexually charged culture, with three quarters of the population devoutly Roman Catholic;
how drug-controlled favelas thrive amidst the world’s highest standard of living.
Brazil continues to be a country fraught with contradictions which Rohter reveals through interviews with every important political business, cultural, and religious leader on the scene. Critics have said that he knows the country better than Brazilians themselves. This is a cutting-edge look at a country that will be a major player on the world stage coming years.
