Sports tourism is a Library of Congress– accepted subject term and a concept that encompasses economics, cultural boosterism, and travel. Yet sports and tourism don’t always mix well, especially when politics or environmental damage is involved. Consider the 2008 Summer Olympics and Beijing’s notorious air pollution. Or, now, Rio de Janeiro—site of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games—and its water pollution.
In 2015, the Associated Press reported that rowers training in the country, in preparation for the 2016 games, were falling ill. Now we have seen emerging concerns over the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness that has been linked to birth defects.
If that’s not enough to give one pause, there is Rio’s high crime rate—fueled by the ongoing conflict between warlords in the favelas (slums) and the local authorities trying to clean up a situation that had been left to fester for far too long (see Juliana Barbassa’s Dancing with the Devil in the City of God, below). The choice has been made, but we can hope that next time the Olympic committees will consider pollution, crime, and other factors that could negatively affect both athletes and visitors, instead of just the number of stadia, available hotel rooms, and transportation corridors.
Beyond the bad news
Those concerns notwithstanding, Rio does have plenty to recommend it as a sports tourism mecca: stunning views of the mountains and the bay, as well as the famous beaches, notably Copacabana. The grand statue of Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) at the summit of Mount Corcovado stretches out his arms in both welcome and blessing. There is also the lively, distinctive culture, with its tempting local cuisine, potent potables, and dance.
The resources listed below will help you plan your (armchair or actual) trip and get the most out of it, whether you go for the Olympics or Carnivale, as long as you do what all these resources recommend: keep your wits about you, use common sense, don’t skimp on the insect repellent, don’t behave or look like a flashy tourist, and be careful where you swim.
Starred (
) titles are essential for most library collections.
Lee Arnold is Library Director, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. He is a travel writer and certified master tour guide in the City of Brotherly Love
Know Your Social HistoryBarbassa, Juliana . Dancing with the Devil in the City of God: Rio de Janeiro on the Brink. Touchstone. 2015. 308p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781476756257. $27; ebk. ISBN 9781476756271.
This fantastic book by AP journalist, Brazil native, and Rio resident Barbassa outlines the city’s history, transformation, and efforts to showcase itself on the international sports stage. It’s all laid out for the world to see: armed troops fighting even better-armed criminals in the hills; the displaced poor; human waste on the beaches; skyrocketing real estate prices; public work projects wrecked by corruption—the list goes on and on. Interspersed among these chapters is the search for the elusive Rio caiman (a large aquatic reptile), the perhaps equally elusive Carioca River, and the 2014 World Cup (lessons not learned). This grittier look at this teeming city is not exactly a text recommended by the local tourist boards. (LJ 5/15/15)
Brazil: A Traveler’s Literary Companion. Whereabouts. 2010. 243p. ed. & tr. from Portuguese by Alexis Levitin. illus. maps. ISBN 9781883513214. pap. $14.95.
Hearing from local writers helps one get a feel for a place. This collection of short stories, vignettes, and prose poems is presented geographically and features diverse locales—from the Amazon rain forests and the biodiversity of the north country to the nation’s two largest cities, Rio and São Paulo. Great short-form reading.
Longo, James McMurtry. Isabel Orleans-Bragança: The Brazilian Princess Who Freed the Slaves. McFarland. 2008. 290p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780786432011. pap. $39.95.
This is an excellent history of Brazil in general and Rio in particular, covering the latter’s role as the early national capital of both the empire and the subsequent republic. In 1807, the Portuguese royal family fled Lisbon ahead of Napoleon’s invading army for exile in the large (but largely uninhabited) colony of Brazil. In 1826 [see websites], Brazil declared its independence from Portugal, establishing the Empire of Brazil. In 1888, and more important, under the reign of this princess, emancipation of slaves was proclaimed via the Golden Law (a Lei Áurea).
McCann, Bryan. Hard Time in the Marvelous City: From Dictatorship to Democracy in the Favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Duke Univ. 2014. 249p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780822355380. pap. $24.95.
This work focuses on the favelas (the overcrowded, often lawless, ramshackle communities that cling to the hillsides and are home to the poor of Rio). They are mostly off the tourist path, and few locals recommend venturing into them alone. This account is a good place to start for those who want to understand Rio’s chronic crime and its deep-seated social ills.
Zirin, Dave . Brazil’s Dance with the Devil: The World Cup, the Olympics, and the Fight for Democracy. Haymarket. 2014. 264p. ISBN 9781608463602. pap. $16; ebk. ISBN 9781608464333.
Zirin, an experienced sports journalist (Game Over: How Politics Has Turned the Sports World Upside Down), here spotlights the hypocrisy, greed, and societal impact of bringing world-class events to a country already struggling with poverty, crime, governance, and crippling environmental and health crises. One of his sources succinctly characterizes contemporary sports tourism mega-events (such as the Olympic Summer Games) as “upbeat shakedowns with appalling human costs.” Hard-hitting and compelling, this exposé was named a “Best Sports Book of 2014” by the Boston Globe. (LJ 6/15/14)
Travel Guides
Things have changed rapidly in Rio since the announcement that the World Cup was going to be held there in 2014 (not to mention Rio hosting the Summer Olympics this year). Therefore, unless you offer guides published (or at least updated) for 2016, businesses or cultural locations may not be where your guidebook says they are—or things that are right in front of your face may not be listed at all. A quaint neighborhood may have been removed to make way for an expressway; a once affordable hotel may now be out of your price range. The 2015 guides should still be okay, but if your favorite guide series only has dated Brazil or Rio editions, consider supplementing or replacing them with something more current.
de Vries, Alexandra . Frommer’s Rio de Janeiro: Day by Day. 2d ed. FrommerMedia. 2014. 192p. illus. maps. index. ISBN 9781628871548. pap. $13.95; ebk. ISBN 9781628871555.
Written by translator and Rio resident de Vries, this compact (0.8″ x 4.2″ x 7.5″, ten ounces) guide includes a pull-out map. These packable guides travel well.
DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Brazil. DK. 2016. 448p. illus. maps. index. ISBN 9781465439598. pap. $30.
At 448 pages and roughly nine inches by five inches, this is a substantial book to carry around. But who doesn’t like a DK guide? With lots of color photos and easy-to-read descriptions, these guides also serve as a good reference source and aide-mémoire when patrons return home and need to identify locations in photos. The DK guides are often very similar to “Insight Guides” (see below), which can make it hard to choose between them. Then, again, libraries are about choice, after all.
Fodor’s Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo: With an 8-page Special Section on the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio. 3d ed. Fodor’s. 2015. 280p. illus. maps. index. ISBN 9781101878354. pap. $19.99; ebk. ISBN 9781101879016.
An updated third edition of a reliable guide, with special attention given to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Insight Guides: Explore Rio. Insight Guides. Jul. 2016. 128p. illus. maps. index. ISBN 9781780055534. pap. $12.99.
In time for the Summer Games, this focused and travel-friendly (5.9″ x 0.9″ x 8.3″) guide to Rio is filled with the clear, beautiful photographs for which the “Insight” series is so well known.
Jones, Mark . Top Ten Sights: Rio de Janeiro. Amazon Digital Svcs. 2015. 28p. ebk. $2.99.
This ebook is one of many Brazil-themed works by travel writer and editor Jones, who has also written on Salvador de Bahia, São Paulo, Brasilia, and Recife.
Lonely Planet: Rio de Janeiro. 9th ed. Lonely Planet. Jun. 2016. 264p. illus. maps. index. ISBN 9781743217672. pap. $21.99.
This is Lonely Planet’s ninth edition of Rio de Janeiro, specially updated for the Olympics. The trim size is eight inches long and five inches wide; with a pull-out map.
Rough Guides Snapshot Brazil: Rio de Janeiro. Rough Guides. 2014. ebk. ISBN 9780241008577. $2.99.
This is a 2014 e-only guide, derived from the Rough Guide to Brazil, part of the popular series that is particularly prized by the young or adventuresome traveler.
Sommers, Michael . Moon Spotlight: Rio de Janeiro. Avalon Travel. 2015. 100p. illus. maps. ISBN 9781612389363. pap. $9.99; ebk. ISBN 9781612389370.
An excerpt of the publisher’s larger Moon Brazil guide by Texas-born Sommers, who now lives in the Brazilian city of Salvador. Readers will enjoy his personal, expat perspective.
Sommers, Michael (text) & Peter Wilson (photos). National Geographic Traveler: Rio de Janeiro. National Geographic. 2013. 272p. photos. maps. index. ISBN 9781426211652. pap. $25.95.
Though the copyright of this handsome volume (5.2″ x 0.6″ x 8.4″ and weighing 12 ounces) is 2013, it was written to coincide with Rio’s hosting of the 2014 World Cup, and it looks ahead to the 2016 Olympics.
Top 10: Rio de Janeiro. DK. 2016. 128p. index. ISBN 9781465440921. pap. $14.
This trim 128-page, 13-ounce handy guide is an impressive package. It essentially lists top-ten sites by category: beaches, Carnival, shopping, tours/excursions, museums and galleries, children’s activities, restaurants, bars/nightclubs, sports, and insider tips.
Websites
Luckily for the armchair traveler as well as the actual trip-prepping one, there are some useful sites to consider.
ecobrasil.org.br
Instituto EcoBrasil (note Portuguese spelling) is a bilingual (English and Portuguese) website recommended by National Geographic Traveler Brazil. This lovely and inviting site, however, will appeal more to nature lovers than to party animals. This is the place to find out where you can spot a Cherry-throated Tanager, Hyacinth Macaw, or Crowned Solitary Eagle.
RioDeJaneiro.com
An attractive city info site with a variety of access points operated by the TravelAgents.com network. Follow the icons or the row of drop-down choices. This English-only commercial site has some errors, perhaps owing to slapdash editing (e.g., under “History” it states that Brazil obtained independence in 1889, when it actually achieved independence from Portugal in 1822 [see Longo] and overthrew the Emperor in 1889, when it became a republic). The site is, however, very frank when it comes to addressing public safety and includes helpful tips even experienced travelers will value.
rioguiaoficial.com
On this inviting site (note the Portuguese spelling), the main choices across the top are Rio de Janeiro, Information, Events, What To Do, Where To Eat, and Where To Stay. The site is available in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
rio2016.com
This is the official site for the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics. It is a fun, colorful, and exciting “destination” with three primary options up front: Take Part, The Games, and Rio de Janeiro. There are two additional choices (Tickets and Olympic Torch) followed by two more drop-downs (News and More). In addition to English, the site is accessible in French, Portuguese, and Spanish. There are countdown clocks to both the Olympic and Paralympic games. (Also available as a free app, below.)
APPS
The Olympics—Official App by the International Olympic Committee. Free; iOS and Android.
The Olympics’ official app includes historic, current, and future games information (results and records for all Olympic sports, athletes, and games); schedules for the Rio 2016 and Pyeongchang 2018 games; photos and videos; the ability to search for Olympic medalists by games, athlete, and country; and tracking options. Content will be added as the games approach. Acceptable navigation.
Rio 2016. Free; iOS and Android. Bilingual (English and Portuguese).
This Olympics app includes a countdown to the opening ceremony; ticket information; schedules for the games (including Paralympics); and information about venues and history. Rio-specific content includes coverage of the city’s history and environs and travel information. Content will be updated as the games near. Good navigation, handsome design.
TeamUSA by the United States Olympic Committee. Free; iOS and Android.
Inclusive and up-to-the-minute info on the games as viewed through a U.S. lens. Do not download if you are bothered by corporate sponsorship, TeamUSA logo items, or requests for donations. Even with those caveats, this lively, well-organized, and upbeat app covers summer (Brazil), winter, and Paralympic TeamUSA athletes and events. Fully integrated with social media.
DVDS
Brazil with Michael Palin. color. 220 min. BBC Home Entertainment. 2014. DVD UPC 0883929411160. $24.99; Blu-ray UPC 0883929411252. $29.99.
This lively four-part series is hosted by Palin (of “Monty Python” fame), a wonderfully engaging performer and travel writer. This visit to the world’s fifth-largest country includes “Out of Africa” (migration and slavery); “Into Amazonia”; “The Road to Rio”; and “The Deep South.” Palin is as informative as he is entertaining.
Seven Wonders of Brazil: From Christ the Redeemer to Carnival, Robert Beckford Explores the Diversity of Brazilian Christianity. color. 60 min. PBS. 2015. DVD ISBN 9781627893879. $24.99.
This DVD provides a good basic introduction to its subject. While it uses Brazil’s 500 years of Christianity as a hub, its spokes cover the secular past, present, and future. British theologian Beckford focuses on seven religious sites in Brazil: Christ the Redeemer statue (Rio), São Francisco Church (Salvador), the Amazon Opera House (Manaus), São Paulo Cathedral, the Presbyterian Cathedral (Rio), Metropolitan Cathedral (Brasilia), and Carnival (Rio). He pairs these sites with other phenomena, including an exploration of a mixture of Catholicism and spirit worship called Candomble, shamanism, modern architecture, and, of course, samba.
Touring the World’s Capital Cities: Rio de Janeiro, the Capital of Brazil. TravelVideoStore.com. 2014. 26 min. DVD UPC 766194191398. $14.95. Limited public performance.
Though Rio is not the capital of Brazil’s government, it is considered its cultural epicenter. This is a useful entry in a popular, informative series.
The Developing Schedule
MAY SPANISH-LANGUAGE FICTION
JUN TRANSGENDER READING
JUL MILITARY ROMANCE
AUG JUSTICE/POLICING
SEPT BAKING
To submit titles (new and/or backlist), contact Barbara Genco four to six months before issue dates listed above (email: bgenco@mediasourceinc.com)