Spanish literature has a rich history that can be traced back to the oral traditions of the ancient Aztecs forward to modern day.
One much-noted Spanish writer, Miguel de Cervantes penned what is considered to be the first novel in European Literature. It is also one of the most admired and inspiring books throughout history — Don Quixote. It is believed that de Cervantes and William Shakespeare were proteges and mutual admirers of each other’s work.
More contemporary authors such as Laura Esquivel and Carlos Ruiz Zafón are paving the way for more Hispanic authors to be literary successes in the U.S. Esquivel is a Mexican writer and politician. Her masterpiece, Como agua para chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate), has been translated into over 30 languages, was made into a movie, and won 10 major awards.
Carlos Ruiz Zafón was a Spanish novelist. His masterpiece La Sombra del Viento (The Shadow of the Wind) has sold over 15 million copies and is one of the 100 best Spanish books of the last 25 years. He is considered to be one of the most relevant and influential Hispanic writers in the world.
There have been six Latin American Nobel Prize winners in Literature over the years.
For those readers who would like a deeper dive into the history and influence of Latin American literature, this is a more detailed article you might enjoy.
Hispanic writers have made a great impact in recent decades. These writers have created their own genres and shared a unique point of view and approach to many social matters. Their writing has provided a glimpse into the Hispanic culture for non-Hispanic readers.
Some classic reads by Hispanic authors include One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, any of Elizabeth Acevedo’s best-selling books, and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, to name a few. If you’re a comic book fan, consider reading La Boriqueña by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez. Anthology fans may enjoy “Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed,” edited by Saraciea J. Fennell.
If you are looking for more reading by Hispanic authors the Huffington Post published a list of 23 Books by Latinos that might just change your life.
And, if your interest is more local. You may want to read Dariel Suarez’s The Playwright’s House. Suarez lives in Massachusetts and has presented several workshops for the NHWP including “Cultural Context: Adding Depth to Your Fiction.”
Claudia Decker is originally from Colombia. She is a teacher, an author, member of the NWHP Board of Trustees and is chairman of the Biennial NH Literary Awards. She is also the 2023 Janis Hennessey World Language Teacher of Excellence for New Hampshire. As a Colombian author, she has a flair for sharing culture through story telling often with magical realism and paranormal themes and elements. Her debut novel, The Disappeared of Cuizcatlan, will be released by PortalStar Publishing in 2023.
