The rise of China and India have captured headline after headline, now Brazil is well on its way to take its place on the global stage. Today, the South American nation is not only the world’s eighth largest economy with a vibrant democracy, it is also on the road to achieving energy independence and will host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games. However, recent prosperity and opportunities have not always been part of the country’s long and complex history. What led to this transformation and how has the recent economic boom changed politics, society and culture in Brazil? As Brazil goes to the polls this month to elect a new president, Larry Rohter, longtime bureau chief of The New York Times and Newsweek in Rio de Janeiro, will examine what contributed to this enormous change and to explore the future of this country—and what it will mean for the United States.