BRAZIL

Brazil will soon host the World Cup soccer tournament and the summer Olympics, so this is the perfect time to become better acquainted with this vast and varied country. And there's no more charming and informative guide than the lively and imperturbable Michael Palin. Here he floats down the Amazon in a small boat visiting tiny villages, dances with the Yanomami, marches in a gay pride demonstration in Rio, and wanders famous Brazilian beaches filled with scantily clad women. Palin's travelogues are so appealing because he walks the line between being respectful and irreverent, and his voice clearly reflects that joy and amusement. He's obviously fascinated by the laid-back Brazilian attitudes including their lack of interest in the law and their enthusiasm for life and food. A.B. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2013]