Seeing that Brazil did pull off The World Cup with only a few minor glitches I was a bit surprised by just how much author Juliana Barbassa focused on the negative rather than the positive in her aptly entitled work "Dancing With The Devil In The City Of God" But frankly, as she so clearly demonstrates, there is a lot of negative to focus on. From the abusive police force, the corrupt politicians, or the inept business men. There's an awful lot do digest in this troubling read. As Barbassa mentioned there is a Brazilian phrase "Para Ingles ver’ (for the English to see). Being a native of Brazil Barbassa is able to see through the rosy colored picture Brazilian advertising firms present to world and provides the reader with cold hard facts. She ends the book on a hopeful note, stating that the everyday men and women of Brazil themselves, know how to persist and prevail, and they will be the driving force that will lead Brazil to a successful hosting of the 2016 Olympics. ( )

We will hear much about the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro in the coming year. That's where the 2016 Summer Olympics will happen. Brazil's second largest city is pulling out all the stops to impress the visitors. Journalist Juliana Barbassa examines the city, giving us some insight into its troubled past. Her impressive book is called Dancing with the Devil in the City of God: Rio de Janeiro on the Brink.

Brazil has had a tumultuous history. Barbassa notes that there were no less than six currencies between 1986 and 1984. Today it has one of the world's emerging economies. The author recounts some of the events that over the years have led to the present. The country was long beset with criminal activity from an organization known as the Red Command, which was born in the prisons and moved into the cocaine trade.

The author chose to return to her native country, having lived in Europe and San Francisco. Her initial choice of residence upon moving back turned out to be environmentally unfriendly. She was beset by health problems and forced to change neighborhoods. Finding a good place to live turned out not to be an easy chore in Rio.

There is hope for the future. The discovery of offshore oil was huge news for the country's economy. Things really began to look up when Rio landed soccer's World Cup in 2014. And now the city is overjoyed about next year's Summer Olympics. To make way for that event, the city's marginalized are being displaced from their homes. This sort of thing is not new in a country where urban renewal projects are a well-known part of history. Unfortunately common laborers are being forced to move to areas great distances from the convenient work-centers. But life will continue. ( )