BRAZIL EMBRACES BOOKS: One Million Expected to Attend the 2008 Bienal Internacional do Livro; American Author Steven Carter is a Shining Star

Throngs of Brazilians filled the Bienal Internacional do Livro in Sao Paulo this weekend. This bi-annual event is expected to have over one million visitors by Sunday evening, making it the world´s most highly-attended book fair.

This is great news for Brazil, whose economy is transforming at lightening speed. But it is also great news for American author Steven Carter. Sales of Carter’s relationship books are breaking records in Brazil as women experience better jobs, higher pay, greater independence, and some unpleasant push back from men not quite ready for women to have it all.

Two of Carter’s books, “What Smart Women Know” and “Men Like Women Who Like Themselves,” originally published in the U.S. in the 1990’s, have been on the bestseller lists of Brazil’s biggest newspapers and magazines, including Folha de S. Paulo and Revista Veja, for a mind-boggling 98 weeks. Last week, the Los Angeles Times published an article about Carter’s stunning success.

To read this article, cut and paste the following link into your browser: http://www.latimes.com/features/books/la-et-self26-2008jul26,0,2920383.story

“It’s the last thing in the world I expected" said Carter, who lives with his wife in Los Angeles and currently serves as Dean of Administration at Yo San University, a school of Chinese medicine.

Carter, the author of 20 books including seven national bestsellers and the New York Times bestseller “Men Who Can’t Love”, didn’t find out that his books were on Brazil’s bestseller lists until he received his first royalty check in the mail. And it was a big one.

Carter’s Brazilian publisher, Marcos Pereira, co-owner of the self-help and spirituality publishing company GMT Sextante, has not been completely surprised by Carter’s success. He knows how strongly Brazilian women are now responding to well-written books with a psychological slant.

“We are a very focused company in terms of our business -- one of the ways we try to find books is to establish what kinds of books would identify with the reader” Pereira said. “The role of women in the Brazilian culture or economy has evolved,” explained Pereira, “If you think of the U.S. 20 years ago, I think this is happening now in Brazil. Women are rethinking their roles.” “This rethinking is happening fast, adds Steven Carter, “Women are embracing their success and independence while firmly rejecting Brazil’s machismo past. They’re ready to deal with the push back.”

Carter arrived in Sao Paulo Saturday morning. He is at the Bienal for a series of book signings. On Saturday night, Carter had his first opportunity to meet his audience face to face. One man in the crowd muttered, “Smart women know when to keep their mouths quiet.” Carter responded, “We aren´t selling zippers here, we´re promoting emotional health.” The man actually apologized for his comment.

After the Bienal do Livro, Carter will tour Brazil this week for another round of media appearances, book signings and lectures.


To read the complete L.A. Times article, cut and paste this link in your web browser: http://www.latimes.com/features/books/la-et-self26-2008jul26,0,2920383.story

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