Marshall C. Eakin is Professor of History at Vanderbilt University and Executive Director of the Brazilian Studies Association (BRASA). A specialist in nineteenth- and twentieth-century Brazilian history, he is the author of British Enterprise in Brazil (1989); Brazil: The Once and Future Country (1997); and Tropical Capitalism: The Industrialization of Belo Horizonte, Brazil (2001). Eakin has also created two video courses with the Teaching Company: "Conquest of the Americas" and "The Americas in the Revolutionary Era."
He is a noted authority on the region, and has written many journal and magazine articles on Latin American history, culture, and politics as well as contributing to travel guides. He lives in Nashville, TN

Praise for Brazil: The Once and Future Country:
"The best short survey of Brazil since the anthropologist Charles Wagley's 1963 classic, An Introduction to Brazil."--Kenneth Maxwell, Foreign Affairs

"Eakin's clear organizational framework combines with his taut prose to produce a highly readable and informative history of Latin America. Students will want to turn first to The History of Latin America: Collision of Cultures to begin their education in the history of this fascinating region."
--Todd A. Diacon, Professor of History, Vice Provost for Academic Operations, The University of Tennessee
"This book is well-written and jargon-free, with accessible prose for the novice student of Latin America. Having used several different general survey texts in my introductory Latin American Studies course, I can truly say that this is my favorite."--Erin Minzenberg, Miami University, The Latin Americanist