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My husband and I were planning to go to Argentina for our honeymoon but after reading Pamela Bloom's Brazil Up Close, we got so excited that we actually changed out itinerary and spent three weeks visiting five cities. This book not only gave us a very personal look at Brazil and Brazilians but also great places to visit. Thank you, Pamela Bloom! Because of you, we rode a jangada boat in Maceio, went dune surfing in Natal, heard THE BEST Brazilian music in Fortaleza and, thanks to this book, discovered the most exciting horseback trip around the mountains of Minas Gerais! These were all great recommendations from this book and what with all that Brazilian sensuality stuff, we had THE best honeymoon you could imagine! And although we met some tourists that had their wallet stolen, we followed all of the author's safety advice and nothing happened to us. In fact we both found Brazilians fantastic (in fact I was kinda wishing I had met one a little earlier!) No, really this is a great book and we can't wait to go back and try other things the author recommends. BUY IT! (It's only now I see that it won an award for Best Guidebook of the Year from the Society of American travel Writers. I tell you, the book deserves it!

I had to write a review about Brazil Up CLose because the one below is ridiculous. This was a terrific read and helped me enormously throughout my trip. In fact I switched my plans at the last minute and went to Brazil on a whim because of this book and was glad I did. It's a great country and no one writes in a more inspiring way than Pamela Bloom. I would highly recommend it.

This is simply a fantastic guidebook. Most guidebooks are soooooo boring you fall asleep reading them, but my husband and I actually fought over who would take this book to work!Finally we just got into bed and read it out loud to each other. It's funny, warm, sexy--just like Brazilians, but also sober about some of the more important problems Brazil faces. I loved the descriptions of the author's personal involvement dancing in Carnaval and those of her "Deep Throat" contributors. And her other adventures, like crashing through the rainforest, were fantastic. This guidebook is simply ALIVE! and will make you want to buy a ticket as fast as possible. BUY IT! Buy it for anybody who loves Brazil! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Having read many books about Brazil this one stimulated me into going there all over again.It s a love fair with the people,and the beaches, of course.This book brought it all alive.The chapter on Brazilian music is first class. the discography at the back inspired me to buy lots of recordings.I loaned it to friends.The used it throughout their entire trip and then decided to keep it so I had to buy another one! I also heartily recommend Amazon Up Close, the author s other book,I rate even better.Both very unusual guidebooks, full of facts and very personal.Obviously the author has travelled there many times!

I am a connoisseur of guidebooks and this is about the best I have ever read. It's got everything you would want to know about how to travel, where to go and what to do to have a great time once you're there. Brazil is a huge country but the author has visited over 6o different cities, places, etc., and includes extensive information, tips and personal commentary. It's her writing style that makes the book so enjoyable, however. You can tell she truly loves Brazil and Brazilians but also gives a true account of safety precautions you need to take if you go there.(And I wish I had fully listened to her--I did get my watch stolen (fortunately a cheap one) while I was walking on the beach in Copacabana at dawn--something the author warned against!). I traveled through Brazil on business and pleasure last year and it truly is a beautiful, exotic, if sometimes exasperating country. The author's chapter on how to get along with Brazilians really helped me through some business (and personal! ) matters. I was also inspired to get ahold of her other book called Amazon Up Close which has fascinating articles by scientists who work with tribes in the rainforest. I didn't get to the Amazon on my last trip but her book has inspired me to plan a jungle adventure for next year. My young son Gerald (age 11) even used Amazon Up Close in a show-and-tell at school and the book proved invaluable for a number of assignments he wrote up on the rainforest, global pollution and international politics.Looks like I will have to take him with me when I go next year. I strongly recommend both of these books, Brazil Up Close and Amazon Up Close, by Pamela Bloom.

"A comprehensive compendium of essential data... From luxury resort to shantytowns, it's all here."

I read this book both before I left and used it while I spent 12 days traveling Brazil. I was inspired before I left and was much less surprised by many of the cultural differences when I got there. It offered accurate and detailed descriptions of the hotels and restaurants. I actually made my hotel reservations with this book in hand with positive results. We also went to at least 5 of the recommended restaurants in Rio and Fortaleza, all of which were fabulous (and received double recommendations from the hotel staff). Word to the wise: Many people in Rio do speak English, but it does help (especially if you are traveling in the Northeast where English is much less common) to learn a few words of Portuguese ie number, greetings, "Thank you", "Stop here/now"(for taxi & bus drivers) and "I don't speak Portuguese, do you speak English?". This and a big smile will get you surprisingly far. Oh, and make sure to get the price of your cab rides in Rio before getting in the cab(I paid double to get home what I had paid to get to the club)! It's hard to argue prices in 2 languages. This book is great in combo with one of the boring fact/price/time books.