I lead a book group of avid readers at the Mercantile Library Center for Fiction in NYC. They want to read four Latin American novels that are considered must-reads, classic foundational novels, in Latin America. They've read all the usual suspects that are regularly translated and well known in the U.S.--Borges, Marquez,Amado, Allenda, Fuentes, Vargas Llosa, etc.

I thought I might suggest Rulfo and Carpentier. Any other suggestions?

Thanks so much,
Noreen

The recently translated 2666 by Roberto Bolaño. It is a very recent book, published posthumously after its author passed away at the age of 50.

And by the way Allende is NOT part of the canon, at least south of the border and all the way to Tierra del Fuego, she is far from it.

Also worth looking at is José Donoso, but stick to his books written on the 60s and early 70s.

Thanks very much, Jose. I agree about Allende, but many of the women in my group love her and have read everything by her. Who are the women you would consider part of the canon? Lispector?

Noreen

Are you fluent in Spanish and/or Portuguese? Poniatowska and Lispector are of course translated, but I sincerely doubt that the same is true for Nelly Campobello or Coral Bracho.


The absolute woman wonder is Sor Juana, although I never taught her in translation so I wouldn´t be so sure about the versions of her verse.

I suggest that you look up Linda Nieves-Powell

Is she Latin-American. She sounds Latina.

She is a Latina she is the author of Freestyle and done plays like Yo Soy Latina is like Tyler Perry he writes about his African-American culture she write about our Latino/as culture

Then they are out of place in this discussion.

Jose is about network and I am just putting a name out there that you might be interested to check her out and one connection helps another to find what you looking for

Women...Rosario Castellanos (Balún Canán) or Elena Garro (Los recuerdos del porvenir). I think there are English translations available of both authors. Those two novels are late 50's and early 60's, respectively. For someone contemporary Marcela Serrano (Nosotras que nos queremos tanto) comes to mind.

Don't forget Nelida Pinon's Republic of Dreams.
That is one of my favorites, along with Cortaazar's The Winners, and many others. I also like to read Marquez, Borges, Fuentes, Vargas Llosa, Allende, Amado. I just finished one by Juliet Campos.

I am also reading Spanish and Portuguese writers: Goyitsolo, Saramango,
Pessoa, Cela

What about poetry? Neruda? Octavio Paz?

Hola Noreen,

I want to recommend you some great Mexican Women writers. Their novel have been translated into English. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, Tear my Heart Out by Angeles Mastretta, The Garcia's sisters lost their accent by Julia Alvarez, and my own novel that is in English as well: Email for lovers. Enjoy your club.

Christopher Unborn, Carlos Fuentes
Master of the Sea, José Sarney (Brazil)
Tinísima, Elena Poniatowska (a biography of Tina Modotti)
Desire and Its Shadow, Ana Clavel (Mexico)

Sometimes small is beautiful, but overlooked. This is what happened to The Lady Waved Good-bye, by Natalio Feliciano. It deals with leagal and illeagle immigrants in an American suburb. The trials and tribulations they face. This is made worst by the fact that some of the illegal immingrants speak neither English or Spanish, but a native Indian language. This is a problem that is oftened ignored.

Alejandro Gallardo

Thanks so much, everyone. These are great suggestions. I found Rosario Castellanos' book, translated as The Book of Lamentations, on our shelves along with Jose Donoso's The Obscene Bird of Night. I ordered others you've recommended. Also had two recommendations from a friend who translated them, Alvaro Mutis's novellas (reprinted as The Adventures and Misadventures of Maqroll) and Mayra Montero"\'s Dancing to Almendra, which I think is her most recent one. I'm reading the Mutis now. I can't seem to find a translation of Lispector, but will keep looking.

And by the way Allende is NOT part of the canon, at..."</i>

Absolutely Not! Although I loved her House of Spirits when I was a teen

Try Silvina Ocampo (1903-1994), sister of Victoria and one of the most underrated Latin -american writers. Most of her short stories and poetry has been edited in 2 volumes. Desconcertant, shocking, almost perverse... She has a great novel written in collaboration with husband Adolfo Bioy Casares ("Los que aman odian", 1946) and some anthologies published with friend Jorge Luis Borges.

Hi Noreen,

What about Cortazar ? Yoy can choose some of his short stories...

In the other hand I agree with Rulfo and Alejp Carpentier

I will always choose Cortazar instead of Borges. His short stories amazing me again and again, every time I abbandoned myself in his surreal, passionate, desperate world. "The night face up" is perhaps the most shocking of all but don't miss "The Southern Thruway", "Continuity of Parks", etc. A master, indeed.

another great girl: Laura Restrepò (from Colombia). Try to find "Delirious".

If you want a not very known writer look to Felisberto Hernandez, from Uruguay, admired by Cortazar. His best books: Nadie encendia las lamparas ( Nobody turn on the lamps ) and Las Hortenzias

Perhaps not among the "four most important Latin American Novels" but I wish Jorge Ibargüengoitia´s were widely and decently translated into English. He is a must read in my book though.

Cortázar over Borges? Díos mio! Borges is THE mac daddy of all 20th century writers--no one even comes close in the influence he has had over other writers, not Joyce, García Márquez. Nadie. A book like David Foster Wallace's 'Infinite Jest' wouldn't have been possible without Borges (and 'IJ' must be right up there in the most important books worldwide in the last couple decades).

I'm sorry to disagree with you Aliform, but Borges can be a bit of a bore.... And although he may have influenced Garcia Marquez, what Gabo did for Colombian literature far surpassed what Borges did. Gabo is more relatable, more widely read, more tricky, and thus, much better than his "mac daddy." Besides, He does not even mention Borges in his Memior as one of his influencers.

100 An~os de soledad de Marquez
Open Veins of Latin America de Galeano
Rayuelas de Cortazar
Versos Sencillos de Marti
Ficciones de Borges

Este es mi opinion, solo opinion, tal vez lo que mas me influyo a mi...pero tambien algo que nos influyo a todos...

and yes, they are five and two are not novels...big duh!

I suggest that u look up for Jorge amado, isabel allende. It might be relevant to suggest for latin american writers, some authors that i have met last year in France , at the Festival America near Paris. The theme of the Festival was immigration, exil and identity in the american literature of the 21th century.

Jorge Volpi
Jordi Soler
Wendy Guerra ( first novel)
Horacio Castellanos Moya

Michelle wrote: "I suggest that u look up for Jorge amado, isabel allende. It might be relevant to suggest for latin american writers, some authors that i have met last year in France , at the Festival America ne..."


I don't know the firt three and will now read them. I am a very big fan of Horacio Castellanos Moya. Have recommended his book "Senselessness" to all the readers I know.

Michelle:
Of course, I am aware of Amado's work...I just think that some Latin American novels help explain how we got to where we are now...Does Amado really do that, I wonder?

João Guimarães Rosa, Grande Sertão: Veredas
Gabriel García Márquez, Cien Años de Soledad
Ernesto Sábato, Sobre Heroes y Tumbas
Julio Cortázar, Rayuela

Pedro Paramo, by Juan Rulfo. Indispensable and breaks all the rules.
The Book of Sand, by Borges (definitely not a bore!)
Cien Anos de Soledad, by Garcia Marquez
Los Detectives Salvajes, by Roberto Bolano. Not as important as some of the others, but such an original narrative strategy that it should be read. And it's fun.

Galimberti, the biography of the famous Argentine revolutionary of the 70's (Montoneros) who began as a Montonero, helped pull off the largest ransom for a kidnap victim ever, later became business partners with his captive and ended up being an informant for the CIA, is a fascinating portrait of a person and a time period. One of the great works on the Revolutionary impulse. Can't remember the 2 authors and I don't think it's been translated from its Argentine Spanish. Great biography.
Also excellent, about the ERP (People's Revolutionary Army, same time period) is Todo o Nada, by Maria Seoane. Again, fascinating person and heartbreaking story.
I agree that Los Que Aman, Odian, by Silvina Ocampo and Bioy-Casares is worth reading. The character of the blowhard Porteno (Buenos Aires native) is also carried through hilariously in the Bioy Casares/Borges colaboration, 6 Problemas para Don Isidro Parodi (not 100% sure about the title)
The Secret Life of Alejandro Mayta, by Vargas Llosa, is a good one.

No Way, dude.

Here's my take on Marquez:
Great openings. Weak endings. Great whimsy. Great characters. Loose ends that never get tied up. He's great, but he's got his flaws.

Borges: Dry but rich, always finishes what he started. Rigid logic is always carried through to the end. Frequently mind-blowing in a way that other writers aren't.

It's a matter of temprament, but I'll go with Borges.