Tightrope Over Eden: An American Flâneur in Brazil (An American in Brazil)

It comes down to this — what's next when all your wishes come true? Imagine a land without hurricanes, earthquakes, or volcanoes. With women who say hello with a kiss and sometimes two. Envision a country where 60 degrees is chilly and the South Atlantic offers temperate waters along 4600 miles of sandy beaches. Every day is festive and if you need coaxing, there's beer at McDonald's. It's an embarrassment of riches, enough to make Eve lose interest in apples.In Tightrope Over Eden, Michael Rubin discovers what drives a man at age 50 to attempt marriage, retirement, and expat life simultaneously. This is the story of an anxious know-it-all who enjoys staying at home but ends up strapped into a window seat headed for this unlikely trifecta. Living in a foreign country with a foreign woman, a foreign language, and a foreign religion is not as easy as it sounds.According to Rubin, “It's a glimpse of Brazil through my eyes rather than a picture of the world, in other words, a non-travelogue, non-memoir, non-autofiction book. I think, maybe.” Read more