The Best Novels of Latin American Boom

The Boom Movement in Latin America could be the turning point that lead to an innovation in literature. Between 1960’s and 1970’s, Latin America was suffering from the authoritarian military regimes and most of the writers had to leave their countries. Their literary works became the voice and the protest of their people.

The Boom Movement became widely known in Paris and Barcelona after publishing the works of the exiled Latin American authors like Mario Vargas Llosa and Gabriel García Márquez. Thanks to this movement Latin American literature came into prominence and many books were translated into other languages. Some critics claim that the very finest literary examples of Latin America were written during this period and on the 50^th anniversary of the Boom, let’s remember the authors and their famous novels.

Gabriel García Marquez: Beyond doubt Marquez is one of the most notable novelists along with Llosa among the Latin American writers. One Hundred Years of Solitude (Cien Años de Soledad) has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide and his other works are No one Writes to the Colonel (El Coronel no tiene quien le escriba) and The Autumn of Patriarchy (El Otoño del Patriarcha).

Mario Vargas Llosa:  In his first novel The Time of the Hero (La ciudad y los perros literally must be The City and the Dogs) showed an excellent narrative skill. Later he wrote The Green House (La Casa Verde), Conversation in the Cathedral (Conversación en La Catedral).

Carlos Fuentes: The Mexican writer used to travel a lot because of his diplomat father so he witnessed the difficulties of Latin American people and the experiences of Mexican immigrants in USA. He wrote The Death of Artemio Cruz (La muerte de Artemio Cruz), Where the Air is Clear (La region más transparente), Aura and Terra Nostra during Boom age.

Julio Cortázar: Must be the most famous Argentine writer after Borges and his novel Rayuela(Hopscotch) added a different perspective on literature. There are numerous ways of reading it. The author suggests two options. Either the conventional way and reading from the start to the end of chapter 56 or starting from Chapter 73 and jump to another chapter according to a table of instructions.

Augusto Roa Basto: Some theorists thought that the movement started with Paraguayan writer’s Son of Man (Hijo de hombre).

José Donoso: Chilean writer spent most of his time in exile in Mexico, US and mostly in Spain. The most known works are Hell Has No Limits (El lugar sin limites), The Obscene Bird of Night (El obsceno pájaro de la noche).