Rio de Janeiro

A city, writes Luiz Eduardo Soares, sheds its skin like a snake- none more so than Rio, whose reputation for hedonistic sensuality hides darkness, violence and corruption. Here, Soares, himself a carioca - Rio born and bred - takes us into deep into disparate worlds, from the favelas to the corridors of power. In telling the city's story through its people - criminals, police, activists, politicians and struggling migrant workers - Soares rips away its mask, revealing a kaleidoscope of joy, inequality, brutality and hope- Rio in all its seething, agonistic beauty.

Tells the story of Rio De Janeiro through the everyday lives of its people: gangsters and police, activists, politicians and struggling migrant workers, each with their own version of the city. This book takes us on a journey into Rio's intricate world of favelas, beaches and corridors of power.

A book as rich and sprawling as the seductive metropolis it evokes, Rio de Janeiro builds a kaleidoscopic portrait of this city of extremes, and its history of conflict and corruption. Award-winning novelist, ex-government minister and sociologist Luiz Eduardo Soares tells the story of Rio through the everyday lives of its people: gangsters and police, activists, politicians and struggling migrant workers, each with their own version of the city. Taking us on a journey into Rio's intricate world of favelas, beaches and corridors of power, Soares reveals one of the most extraordinary cities in the world in all its seething, agonistic beauty.

'Luiz Eduardo Soares is the most insightful observer of Rio I have ever read. He had the unique combination of expert analysis, a compassionate gaze, and a gripping writing style. This is a book that will take its place among the great city chronicles of our time.' Suketu Mehta