Brazil: The Passenger

(Paperback)

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Order and Progress by Jon Lee Anderson
Pride, Prejudice, and Funk by Alberto Riva
I Was King of The River by Eliane Brum

In the second half of the 20th century Brazil made extraordinary contributions to music, sport, architecture. From "bossa nova," to acrobatic soccer, to the daring architecture of Oscar Niemeyer and Lucio Costa, the country seemed to embody a new, original vision of modernity, at once "fluid, agile, and complex." Seen from abroad, the victory of the far right in the 2018 elections was a rude awakening that suddenly turned the Brazilian dream into a nightmare. For locals, however, illusions had started fading long ago, amid paralyzing corruption, environmental degradation, racial discrimination, and escalating violence. Luckily, Brazilians are still willing to fight in order to build a better future. Today the challenge of telling the story of this extraordinary country consists in finding its enduring vitality amid the apparent melancholy.

Reviews

These books are so rich and engrossing that it is rewarding to read them even when one is stuck at home. * The TLS *
Few travel guides are confident enough to tell the stories of a destinations complex realities as well as those of their beauty. [The Passenger] has a strong focus on storytelling, with pages given over to a mix of essays, playlists and sideways glances at subcultures and thorny urban issues. * The Stack *
Half-magazine, half-book . . . think of [The Passenger] as an erudite and literary travel equivalent to National Geographic, with stunning photography and illustration and fascinating writing about place. * Independent.ie (Best series of the year 2021) *
The Passenger readers will find none of the typical travel guide sections on where to eat or what sights to see. Consider the books, rather, more like a literary vacation--the kind you can take without braving a long flight in the time of Covid-19. * Publisher's Weekly *
Fresh and diverting, informative and topical without being slight or ephemeral [...] This supremely well-edited combination of current affairs, journalism, commentary, and fun facts is perfect for our pause-button moment. * Australian Financial Review (Best Books of the Year) *
Tremendously eclectic and classily produced . . . each volume gets under the skin of a country or a city in a multifaceted way that feels essential in these times of narrowing national horizons. * The Bookseller *