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Traveler's Literary Companion
Costa Rica: A Traveler's Literary Companion
Journey into the Costa Rican imagination through twenty-six remarkable stories, selected and organized regionally for the curious traveler. Here, for the first time in English, the best of Costa Rica's writers conjure the country's allure and vitality, its coffee fields and palm groves, cicadas and songbirds, shrouded mountains and blazing savannas, while telling stories unique to Costa Rican life. Contributors include Alfredo Aguilar, Fernando Durán Ayanegui, Alfonso Chase, Quince Duncan, Fabián Dobles, Louis Ducoudray, Carlos Luis Fallas, Mario Gonzáles Feo, Joaquín Gutiérrez, Carlos Salazar Herrera, Max Jiménez, Carmen Lyra, Carmen Naranjo, Yolanda Oreamuno, Abel Pacheco, Julieta Pinto, Uriel Quesada, Samuel Rovinski, José León Sánchez, and Rima de Vallbona.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
103 people are currently reading
510 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
July 31, 2014
I read this book in preparation for a trip to Costa Rica. It was far more enjoyable than a guidebook, although the information it provided was much more subtle. Rather than describing the geography or tourist attractions, it provides an introduction to the Costa Rican soul. And it dos this not by repeating the standard platitudes about friendly, peaceful Ticos that are found in travel brochures, but by immersion in what Costa Rican authors have written for Costa Rican readers.
The book is a selection of about two dozen literary short stories, originally written in Spanish between the 1930s and the 1990s, and translated into English for this volume by a variety of translators with mixed but generally high quality. The result is a collection of stories that is quite diverse in style, time period, and topic; the only things binding them together are the shared national values and spirit that underpin them. Instead of trying to shine a spotlight on a single, uniform national character, this collection reveals the myriad reflections of that character as it is diffracted through a cultural kaleidoscope.
Imagine trying to understand the American spirit by reading stories by Faulkner, Twain, Steinbeck, and Hemingway. The works themselves would vary greatly, but might reveal that Americans like to define themselves in terms of their land, work ethic, and struggles to forge something out of nothing. I don't know Latin American literature well enough to know how many of these authors have the stature of Hemingway, either internationally or in their home country, but the effect is the same. It reveals, at least to me, that Costa Ricans like to define themselves in relation to the plants and animals that live on the land, their work ethic, and struggle to persevere in the face of hardship.
The book is a selection of about two dozen literary short stories, originally written in Spanish between the 1930s and the 1990s, and translated into English for this volume by a variety of translators with mixed but generally high quality. The result is a collection of stories that is quite diverse in style, time period, and topic; the only things binding them together are the shared national values and spirit that underpin them. Instead of trying to shine a spotlight on a single, uniform national character, this collection reveals the myriad reflections of that character as it is diffracted through a cultural kaleidoscope.
Imagine trying to understand the American spirit by reading stories by Faulkner, Twain, Steinbeck, and Hemingway. The works themselves would vary greatly, but might reveal that Americans like to define themselves in terms of their land, work ethic, and struggles to forge something out of nothing. I don't know Latin American literature well enough to know how many of these authors have the stature of Hemingway, either internationally or in their home country, but the effect is the same. It reveals, at least to me, that Costa Ricans like to define themselves in relation to the plants and animals that live on the land, their work ethic, and struggle to persevere in the face of hardship.
August 11, 2021
I read this collection of short stories on my vacation in Costa Rica and I found it lent an interesting depth to my trip. Most of the stories are about hard lives of manual labor for the banana company and grinding poverty. It's easy to overlook that part of the history while playing tourist because of the easygoing friendliness and warmth of the Ticos and the natural beauty of the country. So as travel reading, it's first rate. Speaking as a reader, many of the stories were good reading, but the book is worth the price just for the excellent and disturbing short story "Here" by Louis Ducoudray.
June 7, 2009
I love the concept of this collection--to guide a reader through Costa Rica through literary works by its people. The stories reveal guidebook-type information about the sites and ways of life, but together they do so much more--they paint a portrait of an aesthetic sensibility tied to landscape, economics, and culture. I learned a bit of geography, details about labor on a banana plantation, and facts about the oropendola birds, strangler figs, and lithic spheres. I also noted some interesting methods of storytelling among the varied writers as well, including a touch of magical realism and an approach to shifting perspective rarely seen in contemporary stories in the United States--time and point of view are more fluid in some of these works. The language and translations are lovely. I absolutely recommend this book, especially if you have traveled or are planning to travel to Costa Rica.
August 11, 2021
I read half of this collection on the plane to San Jose, Costa Rica, and the second half in the month following my return to the States. Overall, this was a really cool way to both learn about the country and get a feel for the national mindset and cultural tradition (as much as literature ever truly reflects everyday life). It also was really rewarding to see my travel experiences reflected in these stories so that I felt like I had some expertise or background knowledge to better understand them.
I serendipitously read Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ One Hundred Years of Solitude during this same period, and the amount of overlap between these two books was a benefit to my appreciation of both. Thematically and stylistically these Latin American stories had a lot in common, especially in the magical realist aspects. Between these examples, I feel a real sense that the genre is a literary cousin to Gothic literature, only fearless, full of heat and sunlight.
The collection contains stories published between 1937 and 1991, is prefaced by a prior Costa Rican president, and is creatively organized into 7 geographic regions. I especially enjoyed this structure as I was often able to place stories and references within the parameters of my travels — Manuel Antonio/Quepos (Southern Pacific Coast), San Jose (SJ & Central Valley), and La Fortuna (Northern Zone).
I serendipitously read Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ One Hundred Years of Solitude during this same period, and the amount of overlap between these two books was a benefit to my appreciation of both. Thematically and stylistically these Latin American stories had a lot in common, especially in the magical realist aspects. Between these examples, I feel a real sense that the genre is a literary cousin to Gothic literature, only fearless, full of heat and sunlight.
The collection contains stories published between 1937 and 1991, is prefaced by a prior Costa Rican president, and is creatively organized into 7 geographic regions. I especially enjoyed this structure as I was often able to place stories and references within the parameters of my travels — Manuel Antonio/Quepos (Southern Pacific Coast), San Jose (SJ & Central Valley), and La Fortuna (Northern Zone).
December 17, 2025
This was perfect reading for my recent trip to Costa Rica. A selection of 20th century shorter fiction by a range of Tico literary figures, the styles range from Marquez- influenced magic realism to folklore, tales of macho angst to critiques of the treatment of indigenous peoples during the colonial era and the class struggle (from both sides). The stories obviously range in quality but all provide a valuable insight into the history, culture and people of this fascinating country.
A highly recommended introduction to the literature ofCosta Rica.
Pura Vida!
A highly recommended introduction to the literature ofCosta Rica.
Pura Vida!
May 15, 2024
I read this book as part of my quest to read a book written by an author from each of the 196 countries in the world. The authors of these stories are from Costa Rica.
The title of this book indicates that it is a 'Traveler's Companion'. It is not a tourist book so much as it is a collection of stories that were culled together to give the reader a feeling for the people and culture of Costa Rica. The collection contains 26 stories published between 1937 and 1991 and it is creatively organized into 7 geographic regions.
I learned a great deal about the people and their history. The Spanish came to Costa Rica and colonized the area in 1561. It was a Spanish colony for about 250 years. In 1821, Costa Rica declared independence from Spain, though the Spanish left many influences on the country.
Much of the country's early infrastructure was built on the backs of the country's workers. Many of the stories talk about the building of the Pan-American highway, a 19,000-mile route that passes through Central America to Argentina in South America. The workers also helped to build the Costa Rica Railway that linked the inner country to the Carribean. Many Costa Ricans worked long, hot days to help build these routes.
The title of this book indicates that it is a 'Traveler's Companion'. It is not a tourist book so much as it is a collection of stories that were culled together to give the reader a feeling for the people and culture of Costa Rica. The collection contains 26 stories published between 1937 and 1991 and it is creatively organized into 7 geographic regions.
I learned a great deal about the people and their history. The Spanish came to Costa Rica and colonized the area in 1561. It was a Spanish colony for about 250 years. In 1821, Costa Rica declared independence from Spain, though the Spanish left many influences on the country.
Much of the country's early infrastructure was built on the backs of the country's workers. Many of the stories talk about the building of the Pan-American highway, a 19,000-mile route that passes through Central America to Argentina in South America. The workers also helped to build the Costa Rica Railway that linked the inner country to the Carribean. Many Costa Ricans worked long, hot days to help build these routes.
August 29, 2025
I am currently living in Costa Rica, and I brought this book along so I could learn about the different perspectives of Costa Ricans, as they live by faith and superstition, often in difficult circumstances, often in extreme poverty, amidst their country's wildlife and tropical flora. Most of the 26 stories have too much magical realism for me; I'm not a big fan. I had a hard time concentrating on most of the stories. A few in the collection spoke to me: "In the Shadow of the Banana Tree," "She Wore a Bikini," and "Pastor's Ten Little Old Men." The book probably gave me a general feeling about how Ticos look at life; that I do appreciate. But the writing itself was a mixed bag, and overall, I found the stories a struggle to get through.
April 8, 2018
The book is a collection of translated short stories from Costa Rican authors meant to create an image of literature for travelers to the country. The idea is great: From these stories, you can experience the culture of the country at a level hard to achieve with a visit of a limited time. You do get a bit of the vibe of the places. For instance, one stories talks about a farmer carrying 60 branches of bananas in what he thought to be a big Christmas shopping trip, only to be defeated by global supply glut and had to abandon two thirds of the load. On my recent trip to Costa Rica, I happen to see a 12-branch banana “train” hauled by a worker on a modern banana plantation (probably owned by Des Montes). I can appreciate how early independent banana farmers are destined to be out-competed by big corporations and probably became modern day serfs.
As much as I like the idea of the type of book to add depth to one’s travel, I have to say this particular one is underwhelming. First of all, these are all translations, which obviously add a filter to the original works. Second, it’s safe to say that none of these stories is on the level of Chekov or other masters. Most of the stories are too short to make any meaningful impressions. 2.5 stars rounded up for trying.
As much as I like the idea of the type of book to add depth to one’s travel, I have to say this particular one is underwhelming. First of all, these are all translations, which obviously add a filter to the original works. Second, it’s safe to say that none of these stories is on the level of Chekov or other masters. Most of the stories are too short to make any meaningful impressions. 2.5 stars rounded up for trying.
June 16, 2023
This is an interesting collection of stories by Costa Rican authors, arranged by geographic areas of the country. It is a good introduction to the nation’s literature, especially since I wasn’t able to find anything else in English translation. Many of the stories are truly heartbreaking — documenting the awful lives of workers on the United Fruit railroad, or the torturous grind of poverty. One, about a man contemplating cheating on his wife with her sister, was a great psychological portrayal with universal insights. A few stories I just couldn’t relate to or understand; one had a lot of symbolism that went over my head.
I was grateful for this chance to dip a toe into a (for me) unknown area of literature.
I was grateful for this chance to dip a toe into a (for me) unknown area of literature.
January 12, 2018
I read this book before I left for Costa Rica. I liked it I suppose, but the true impact of the work struck me during the visit to Costa Rica. I understood the distinct regions more and knew the places in which they spoke. The book came alive then. Costa Rica is pure vida. These stories are magical, and in fact, after reading this book, I realized I had met a don Fulminate in Santa Elena. I recommend this book for anyone and highly encourage it for anyone visiting Costa Rica—whatever the region.
December 1, 2019
Lovely translated short stories exemplifying the mindset in various regions in Costa Rica. Some are tales and fables describing how things came to be, such as Yolanda Oreamuno's Lizzard with the White Belly. Others come from relating inner thoughts introspectively, such as Samuel Rovinski's The Adventure, where in the night he decides to go to the room of his sister-in-law because he is sure they lust for each other. I though this one was going to be about social proprieties, but it turned out to be more of a statement of types of character.
December 6, 2019
Meh. This book was a slog to get through. I was left wondering what the point of most of the stories were. I'm not sure if it's a cultural story-telling difference or if the stories just aren't that great. Since this book aims to be a traveler's literary companion, I think it could do more to help the traveler understand the context, meaning, and importance. I would have enjoyed it more if there was a short explanation at the end of each story summarizing why the story is popular or has meaning for Costa Ricans. I wanted to enjoy it but just didn't.
June 24, 2021
Verzamelingen van kortverhalen zijn heel dikwijls ongelijkmatig toon en inhoud, zeker als ze dan ook nog eens van verschillende auteurs komen. Deze bundel ontsnapt hier ook niet aan.
Enerzijds heb ik bij de lectuur van deze verhalen heel wat opgestoken over Costa Rica, een land waar ik aandacht voor heb omwille van hun ecologische en pacifistische streven. Anderzijds ben ik toch wel wat teleurgesteld door een gebrek aan diepgang en inhoudelijke interesse van heel wat verhalen.
Dat een aantal "verhalen" fragmenten uit lang geleden gepubliceerde boeken zijn, komt het geheel ook niet ten goede, aangezien die stukken geen echte samenhang vertonen of geen afgesloten geheel zijn.
Enerzijds heb ik bij de lectuur van deze verhalen heel wat opgestoken over Costa Rica, een land waar ik aandacht voor heb omwille van hun ecologische en pacifistische streven. Anderzijds ben ik toch wel wat teleurgesteld door een gebrek aan diepgang en inhoudelijke interesse van heel wat verhalen.
Dat een aantal "verhalen" fragmenten uit lang geleden gepubliceerde boeken zijn, komt het geheel ook niet ten goede, aangezien die stukken geen echte samenhang vertonen of geen afgesloten geheel zijn.
May 4, 2024
Barbara Ras, with her compilation of about two dozen short stories set in Costa Rica, aims to give her readers, a glimpse of the country covering all the dense geographies squeezed into a narrow strip of land between the Pacific and Atlantic.
The translated works of several popular Tico writers, these short stories paint an elegant picture of the country successfully capturing its beauty as well as the ups and downs of its history.
https://theworldincultures.com/376-co...
The translated works of several popular Tico writers, these short stories paint an elegant picture of the country successfully capturing its beauty as well as the ups and downs of its history.
https://theworldincultures.com/376-co...
March 31, 2024
I like to read local literature when I travel, and this was almost the only book of translated Costa Rican writers I could find. I don’t mind a bit of grimness, but I don’t really think that any of the stories evoked any joy either. It took me a while to get through this one. It had a very 90’s lit feeling to me that I’m still working out how to describe.
I think it’s worth reading if you’re traveling to Costa Rica. It adds a bit of context, and a few of the authors are quite beloved.
I think it’s worth reading if you’re traveling to Costa Rica. It adds a bit of context, and a few of the authors are quite beloved.
April 10, 2021
This is hard to review because there are dozens of stories, and the quality (and readability) varies quite a bit. The stories I liked — 11 of them — I LOVED. It’s easy enough to skip the clunkers, and the good ones are worth the price of admission. If you’re interested in Costa Rica and want to read native authors in translation, this is for you.
December 4, 2021
Reading one or two of these stories each day while vacationing in Tamarindo added a nice nibble of food for thought to each day. Learned a few things, such as that, like turtle eggs, garobos are also eaten for their mythical "mas fuerte" tendencies. Our old Nico gardener, Carlos, must have had some libido!
January 28, 2018
If these fictional stories are to be an accurate depiction of Costa Rica, then life sucks for Costa Rican women. Some charming stories within, yet most of them center around male characters and every other one casually mentions domestic abuse, rape, and molestation of women.
January 31, 2023
A quite interesting read, for me to get a glimpse of Costa Ricans (Ticos) life, - the joys, tears, and spirits on this rich soil. I look forward to my upcoming exploration to this bio diversified land.
February 29, 2024
A few of the stories were good and supplemented my trip in Costa Rica with cultural and location understanding. But, many of the stories felt like more of a slog to get through and like I didn’t understand their purpose.
October 29, 2025
It’s interesting and some of the stories are really great but others are very bizarre
If you go into it wanting folklore you’ve got yourself a great read
I thought the stories would be more personal nonfiction
If you go into it wanting folklore you’ve got yourself a great read
I thought the stories would be more personal nonfiction
March 25, 2019
A good way to get introduced to Costa Rica.
August 10, 2022
A great way to understand a bit more about the country
November 18, 2023
A varied collection of stories from around the country.
January 9, 2024
fin liten novellesamling, noen sykt bra noveller, andre litt meh. savna costa rica hele tiden mens jeg leste den
January 22, 2024
Read these short stories one a day.
March 12, 2024
This is a collection of short stories set in Costa Rica organized by location of their setting.
April 19, 2024
Lowkey bad
November 21, 2024
short stories - read around the world - costa rica.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews