To the outsider, Brazil is a happy democracy rising on the world stage, future home to the Olympics and the World Cup of soccer. In truth, the world’s tenth largest economy has only the 169th best distribution of income, giving it extremely high rates of poverty and violence for a rich country not at war. After 500 years without a true democracy, it resembles a feudal oligarchy. Based on interviews with Brazilians, The Fish Rots from the Head uses a nonacademic style and an informal tone to report how government officials commit white-color crime with impunity. Even confessed murderers won’t go to jail if they have money for legal appeals. The citizens describe an essentially dishonest government built upon a Constitution which guarantees a cleptocracy. They say their government cannot reform itself, not without the insistence of a popular movement. Unfortunately, the people, themselves, say they are incapable of action. The Fish Rots from the Head reports the written and spoken opinions of Brazilians and contains information which will be irritating to the rulers of Brazil. The government tolerates criticism from citizens, but it has a history of attempting to punish foreigners who make critical statements, even if they are only reporting what others have said. A. H. Lin is the pen name for an American author who does not wish to invite repercussions from his hosts.