De volta para o passado - O Brasil de 1985 e o que fizemos depois

The book presents journalist Rafael Simi’s analysis of events spanning from 1985 to the era of a new far right in Brazil, constantly questioning whether we have progressed or regressed since then. With a narrative that is light and casual yet inquisitive, the author revisits four decades of a Brazil defined by music and soccer—vibrant yet chaotic, extremist, and often irrational. In this debut book, featuring a preface by Luiz André Alzer and Mariana Claudino, Simi takes us on a journey filled with color, rock music, humor, television shows, bands, festivals, meteoric musical breakthroughs, and references to various 1980s artists. He also brings us into the present day, touching on "anxiety, depression, and burnout," conservatism, the military regime, social media, and the conflict between militias and drug trafficking, offering a unique perspective on the transformation of Brazilian society over recent decades. As the author puts it, "if the book sparks good conversations in bars, I’ll be satisfied." With the tone of a casual chat, the book prompts serious reflection on how democracy and technology locked horns, and how, at the close of the 20th century, "neoliberal savagery shaped hearts and minds."