Brazillionaires: Wealth, Power, Decadence, and Hope in an American Country

“Brazillionaires”, the newest title about Brazil, written by former Bloomberg financial journalist, Alex Cuadros, is a highly informative addition to expanding non-fiction literature on Brazil. In turn, Mr. Cuadros’s book is not a primer. It is more for advanced students on the subject. The Cuadros book is best for somewhat connoisseurs, for Brazilians, or for those foreigners, expats who had the privilege to do time in Brazil, people who can savor the subtle, nuanced insights on Brazil, Brazilians, its ultra-rich, and the Brazilian way of life… To understand a country like Brazil requires some background, even if only to read an informed tome on the topic. The book also brought back plenty of personal memories. Similar to Cuadros’s admired godfather – David Sullivan – also the present, on impulse, as part of a first visit, decided to stay put in Brazil, try to make a go of it, hustling hard to get off the ground in a new country and, in the process, getting to know all kinds of people, up and down the social ladder, including working with a young Edmar Bacha when still far from later fame. How to understand the country, its people? On a superficial level it is hard not to like Brazil, Brazilians. Where North Americans, North Europeans tend to be more guarded, the charm of Brazilians, men and women alike, is that they let easier go of their emotions, the whole scale of human emotions. In turn, to understand Brazilian society, it also is indispensable to explore wealth in Brazil, especially the super-rich of often long pedigree, who move about Brazil’s modern big cities, nowadays mostly with bodyguards, and who represent one of the ongoing pillars of a fast-changing nation… Cuadros does a great job bringing this changing country, this still highly problematic and pained society into clearer focus.Old bromides continue to stalk and shape the perception of many about Brazil, foreigners and Brazilians alike, and Mr. Cuadros also starts off on that note. Stefan Zweig, an outstanding German-language literary figure of his time, perhaps began the process. A Jewish Austrian on the run from Nazi Germany, following stays in England, then the United States, he finally somehow opted for Brazil. During his short life in Brazil, August 1940 to February 1942, Zweig wrote a title of lasting impact on Brazil: “Brasilien, Ein Land der Zukunft” (in English: Brazil, Land of the Future) which was a grateful and accurate analysis of the potential of his newly adopted country, which he got to know during the days of Getulio Vargas, that first shaker and maker of modern Brazil. But Stefan Zweig decided not to partake of any future. Desperate in the face of Hitler’s and Nazi Germany’s successes, of fascist trends cropping up in too many places, on a fateful date of February 23, 1942, the Zweigs, husband and wife, committed suicide in Brazil. But in Brazilian culture, the title of the Zweig’s book continues alive, sometimes hopeful, sometimes, cynical. There is that negative take-off on Zweig’s book. "Brazil is the country of the future... and always will be," a wry Charles de Gaulle allegedly one time uttered. On their best days, Brazilians often counter such negatives with the confident riposte. What could possibly go wrong? After all: “God Is Brazilian (in Portuguese: Deus É Brasileiro) … Too many Americans, often pretending to live in “God’s Own Country”, tend to get seriously annoyed when foreigners criticize the United States. Brazilians characteristically are far more relaxed about themselves, their country, their shortcomings, and too often are quick to agree to that familiar locution, "Brazil is the country of the future – and always will be."There is also a dangerous downside to this. As mentioned by Cuadros, too many Brazilians still labor under a curious inferiority complex, this “vira-lata”, mutt mentality. Often the tendency of too many Brazilians is to underestimate their country, pronounce themselves erroneously embarrassed about their Portuguese heritage. One should be so lucky to be of Portuguese parentage, one of the more modest accomplished nations of Europe. Alex Cuadros book discusses all this… But whatever past prejudice, or the current pains of the country, Brazilian progress is inevitable. The country is just too rich in resources, and based on this wealth has already managed to build a diverse mixed economy, a huge domestic market, and driving it all is Brazil’s unusual humanity, as in the case of the United States, truly with talents from all corners of the world and ever better educated and more professionalized. Like for all countries, progress is never a straight line process. Instead, to be expected, sometimes, things go up, then come down again; two steps forward and one step backwards, but the general pace remains forward, true for Brazil – and true for all dynamic societies which somehow have managed to survive in the frontlines of human progress, stay abreast of a fast-changing world in all respects. Hence, hard not to bet on Brazil, on its talents, on its future, or to pretend knowing about the current world, without having experienced Brazil… Mr. Cuadros also makes that point very much.

I thoroughly enjoyed this timely, incisive, well-written book from ex-Bloomberg writer Alex Cuadros. It's a supremely-timed account: he recounts a Brazil jumping onto the world's stage with the ascendancy and heady days of the Lula presidency, the World Cup, the Olympics and as the 'B' in BRICs. Lately, the news has been deflating, a series of gut punches in the form of a worldwide commodities collapse (revealing an economy all too reliant on that aspect), rampant corruption (crystallized with the Petrobras/Carwash scandal), escalating inflation and the impeachment of Lula's feckless heir, Dilma Rousseff. Add to that the Zika crisis and you're bound to think that God hates Brazilians.Throughout this massive upswing and matching downswing, Alex Cuadros manned the Billionaires' beat for Bloomberg in Latin America. He gets to to see a host of compelling characters. He dispenses of your run-of-the-mill billionaires in the book's first-half, your press baron (Roberto Marinho of Globo), your mega-evangelist (Edir Macedo), your state-sponsored builder (Marcelo Odebrecht). These are grist for the mill for Cuadros, submissions to New York for ranking on the Global lists that size up the loot of the globe's 1% of the 1%.This is all good stuff, but the book's second half is sheer magic: Cuadros personalizes the tale of Brazil's steep rise, sudden fall and possible next act in the form of the one-of-a-kind Eike Batista. More showman and promoter than true businessman, Cuadros tracks his explosive net worth up to USD 32 billion, and his equally stunning plummet down to negative one billion. The book's prologue, in which Batista's son -- the gloriously named Thor -- crashes his speeding McLaren into a favela-raised bicyclist, serves as a brilliant opening act. It symbolizes the clash between new and old Brazil as well as the vulgarity and ephemeral nature of Batista's wealth and stature.This is also the tale of Cuadros' professional career. It was equally enjoyable reading. He's upfront about the role the luck and serendipity played into his success. But never doubt: this is a smart dude -- trilingual, adventurous, a sublime writer...and an entrepreneur in his own right. He quit his prestigious job at Bloomberg -- the one that opened all those doors for him in Rio and Sao Paulo -- to take a flier on this book.Alex, your bet paid off" 'Brazillionaires" is simply brilliant.

If you want to read one book on what Brazil is like today and how it has evolved to the level of acute disparity between the super wealthy and the poor, Brazillionaires is the one! Its author, Alex Cuadros, not only learned Portuguese, but also immersed himself into the intricacies of this complex culture, living in Brazil for six years. \As a former Peace Corps volunteer who served in Brazil many ago, I would have much preferred a book like Brazillionaires as required reading in addition to being exposed to the romance of this remarkable country during my Peace Corps training. The picture of the super wealthy using helicopters for a 12-minute flight that saves three hours in traffic is powerful. Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city has more helicopters has more helicopters than any other city in the world including New York!One billionaire and his family are a major theme illustrating the power of privilege and decadence, and what happens when that wealth disappears.Cuadros accurately describes the social cost of the less fortunate, those living in favelas (slums). There were tens of thousands displaced for construction of venues for both the World Cup in 2014 as well as the recent Olympics.What is evident in his writing is that Cuadros, like this reviewer, fell in love with Brazil and its inhabitants. He won the hearts and trust of many along the way.

Perhaps too much detail unless you are a Brazilian who wants information to begin the reformation of politics and corruption in Brazil!

Very enjoyable read; good background information to understanding Brazilian culture & society, but will the situation there ever change to allow for accountability - especially for government supported investments & expenditures???

Excellent review of present Brazilian political, economic situation , a must read book to anyone that pretend to adventure to live, estude or even writ about Brasil.

The single book I’d recommend to anyone interested in contemporary Brazil.Opening with the fatal collision of a sports car and a bicycle, it proceeds to explore the taxonomy of inequality. Focussing on the ultra-rich - the Brazillionaires - Cuadros never ignores of the experience of ordinary folk, struggling to survive.Metal shutters descend over bulletproof glass, blocking out a fine view of Ipanema beach; the shower sized maid’s room in the same apartment is windowless by design.An evangelical preacher eabtablishes the tolbooth to earthly success; the more you give to the church the more you receive from God.A judge seizes the assets of a billionaire, only to be spotted driving to work in one of the cars impounded - a white Porche Cayenne.Rouba, mas faz. They steal but get things done.Well written, thoroughly engaging, an extremely insightful book written by someone who lived and loved in Brazil, spoke the language but maintained just enough distance to wield a scalpel.Fascinating

This book is not only a masterpiece of journalistic work, but also a surprisingly deep analysis of Brazilian society, with its longings and frustrations - and whence they arise. Never before has a book managed to capture with such authority the hidden workings of the country, and how (until now) nameless ‘elites’ have throughout history controlled and milked the state for their own benefit and obscene enrichment - and here one could be talking about most other nations. It blatantly exposes those who wish to stay hidden due to having built astonishing fortunes using methods they can’t be proud of.Cuadros shows his astonishing power of insight gained from living and working in the country with regular everyday Brazilians, as well as extensively researching and following the other 1% of that complex society. He manages to put into words the “grito preso na garganta” of the thousands who took to the streets of the country in June 2013 (and later), without knowing much why exactly they were doing it. His descriptions of Brazilian culture and mindset are so on point they felt as if he was talking inside my head! That is no small feat, it takes a superior type of observation skill to gather, and then describe how a culture feels like on the inside.His writing style, mixed with the backdrop of his own experiences makes this book a real page-turner, but it is so much more than that. The book captures with fidelity the feelings and events that accompanied the boom years, as well as the collapse of the economic ‘miracle’, and the current political crisis that engulfed that once promising nation.This is a damning book. It exposes a side of that society that the powers want to keep hidden, but which most Brazilians have a nagging feeling about and just can’t put their finger on, or translate it into language.A true landmark work on Brazil. Excellent read.