The Boom in Spanish American Literature: A Personal History
A novelist's memoir of the moment Latin American fiction took over the world, written from inside it.
Jose Donoso gives a short personal account of the Boom years, when Garcia Marquez, Vargas Llosa, Fuentes and Cortazar arrived more or less at once and the centre of the Spanish-language novel moved to Latin America. He is candid about the rivalries and about the part played by publishers and prizes, and modest regarding his own place in it.
Recommended by 1 Person
Tyler Cowen
Jose Donoso, The Boom in Spanish American Literature: A Personal History is a good short overview, noting that Donoso's own The Obscene Bird of Night is one of the great underrated works of 20th century literature.
Source · March 2026
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