Stumbles in the Tropics - Chronicles of a Brazilian Gringo

"One of Brazil's best chroniclers." Luis Fernando Veríssimo An American writing about Brazil? Or a Brazilian writing about the United States? Michael Kepp transcends borders. He fled his hometown, the claustrophobic St. Louis, Missouri, in search of more swing and swagger. And ended up in the Rio de Janeiro of Tom Jobim, of Carnival, of the relaxed atmosphere of Rio. His experiences are colored in chronicles that are sometimes intimate, sometimes moving, but always confessional. A Brazilian gringo, suspended on the border between two cultures, Mike doesn't fit into any category. He embraces them all with the same generosity with which he shares his ideas and adventures with readers. The sex with a prostitute, the hypochondria, the stroke, the implied agreement with his Brazilian wife about how long, at parties, they can talk to strangers of the opposite sex, the first visit to his mother's grave 48 years after her death. Mike bares his soul, and even some—but not the worst—of his flaws with a certain exhibitionism. But literary! A shortcut to creating complicity and even a certain friendship with readers, leaving them feeling less alienated, less lonely. Having lived in Brazil for 28 years, but still possessing a certain 'Americanness,' Mike observes the cultural differences between the two countries with great humor. From telephone etiquette to eating habits, including the relationship with money and work, and attitudes toward family and friends, Mike's writing questions the value of living intensely, warns against the overvaluation of sex, and speculates on what women really want. But he doesn't repeat ready-made recipes. His chronicles are like original literary delicacies, perfect for accompanying laughter, tears, and reflection.