Product Description
Contemporary Latin American Literature reflects the wealth of great writers of Latin America over the last hundred years, including Jorge Luis Borges, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Noble Prize winners Gabriela Mistral, Pablo Neruda, Octavio Paz, and Gabriel Garcia Márquez. The selections--almost 100 works in their original form--include English definitions for difficult Spanish words. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Spanish Lit
I'm pleased with the book.It's in very good condition and has helped a lot in my class.The shipping took a bit long though. Otherwise great, thanks!

Text discrepancy?
We bought this book because it is being used in a class we are taking.It contains a wealth of short stories by well known and respected Latin authors.It is always good to have original literature in the language one is studying and this book is not exception.The study guides and footnotes are helpful as well.We have encountered a problem in the first story we are reading, "Dos Palabras."We have the story in anther book and it seems that there is a discrepancy between the two texts in the beginning of the story.The wording in this book doesn't make much sense.Perhaps there is an error in editing.

Muy bien!
I bought this as some sort of follow through after finishing my reading of the Classic Spanish Stories and Plays (Spanish Reader Series).

Browsing through some of the works, it does seem to me that the reader must at least be upper intermediate or advanced in Spanish to fully enjoy this anthology. I understand that the works are unabridged, in their original length and form, so they're a little harder for the average learner.

I recommend getting this book if you plan to buy Classic Spanish Stories and Plays, which you may read first to get a good handle on Spanish then move on to the Contemporary Latin American Literature.

Wonderful anthology
Buy two copies, give one to your best Spanish-speaking friend, and keep the other to give to your grandchildren after you've worn it out.

Great Review for Proficient Non-Native Speakers
I've spoken Spanish since the age of 13 (I'm 60 now) and have been married to a native speaker of Spanish (Puerto Rico) for almost 30 years.Although I don't live in an Hispanic country, my exposure to Spanish is almost on a daily basis, mostly by virtue of household conversations and satellite television programs.What I've always found useful to keep my language active at a professionally competent level are well-chosen anthologies of literary excerpts by established authors in their original format.This anthology delivers exactly that.Ms. Varona-Lacey has done a fine job of selecting from across a wide spectrum of genres to not only introduce popular authors to an interested audience, but also to ensure that the level of difficulty is just right to provide that linguistic challenge to those who want to raise their non-native fluency in the language to higher levels of expertise.Technical and seldom-encountered words are glossed and explained below the page of text, as well as brief explanations of historical personages/events to facilitate comprehension.Her selection of authors is quite inclusive and I cannot think of anyone to add to her list of contributors, although no doubt other reviewers can probably come up with a name or two.I hold a PhD in Foreign Language Education and am a former university professor of both Arabic and Spanish.I would have loved to have used this selection in my third or fourth year Spanish classes had it been available when I was still teaching. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Quick delivery
The book was in the condition that I expected and it arrived at my house quite quickly after I ordered it.

A very useful textbook
I am using this textbook for an advanced college course on Spanish composition, and I find it very helpful. The literary selections are excellent, the sections on vocabulary and grammar are clear and the exercises very practical. The book structure makes it easy for teachers to prepare classes, and for students to understand the purpose of the course. They make good use of the suggested composition subjects to write a composition every week.
I recommend this book for college courses on advanced grammar or composition.

Great Quality
The book was in great shape when I bought it.The pages were not dog-earred nor was the cover.There was minimal highlighting and writing in the book.There were stains or spots on the book.

Spanish Composition through Literature
I didn't receive this book for weeks after I ordered it, I am very disappointed with this purchase. Although it was in great condition after I finally received it.

Excellent advanced text, though more grammar than composition
This is an excellent advanced Spanish textbook, with well-chosen selections from Spanish-language literature.I teach college-level grammar and composition courses and find the vocabulary and grammar explanations both clear and thorough.It's important to note that this is definitely a text for advanced students; beginning and even intermediate students will likely find it too difficult

I must comment on an earlier review - no one should judge an advanced text by what one native speaker says about colloquial usage.Not only does this vary from country to country, but one also has to keep in mind that this text is intended to improve Spanish writing skills.Written language tends to be more formal, so it's not surprising that some of the vocabulary here is not often heard in everyday language.Advanced students of the language should not just be learning "everyday" words; they also need more learned and formal vocabulary.This text does a very good job of giving students just that.To give an analogy from English, just because we don't run around saying words like "despondent" or "prevalent" all day long doesn't mean they aren't valid English words that most educated speakers know how to use.

The only reason this text does not get 5 stars from me is that I consider it more of a grammar text than a composition text - there aren't many writing exercises, and so I think the title is a bit misleading.A more accurate title would be "Spanish Grammar Through Literature" ... Read more

Product Description
This comprehensive history of Spanish literature brings together experts from the US, the UK, and Spain to survey the range of Spanish literature from the early Middle Ages to the present day. The "classics" of the canon of eleven centuries of Spanish literature are fully covered, but attention is also paid to lesser known writers and works. This invaluable book contains an introduction, more than fifty substantial chapters, a chronology of history, literature and art, and a comprehensive index. ... Read more

Product Description
Charcoal and Cinnamon explores the continuing redefinition of women of African descent in the Caribbean, focusing on the manner in which literature has influenced their treatment and contributed to the formation of their shifting identities. While various studies have explored this subject, much of the existing research harbors a blindness to the literature of the non-English-speaking territories. Claudette Williams bases her analyses on poetry and prose from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic and enhances it by comparing these writings with the literatures of the English- and French-speaking Caribbean territories. Williams also questions the tendency of some of the established schools of feminism to de-emphasize the factor of race in their gender analyses. A novel aspect of this work, indicated by the allusion to "charcoal" and "cinnamon" in its title, is its focus on the ways in which many writers use language to point to subtle distinctions between black and brown (mulatto) women. The originality of Williams’s approach is also evident in her emphasis on the writer’s attitudes toward race rather than on the writer’s race itself. She brings to the emotionally charged subject of the politics of color the keen analysis and sustained research of a scholar, as well as the perceptive personal insights of an African-ancestored Caribbean woman.Though the main focus is on literary works, the book will also be a valuable reference for courses on Caribbean history, sociology, and psychology. ... Read more

Product Description
Spanning El Cid (1140) to El burlador de Sevilla (1630), Classic Spanish Stories and Plays contains eight great Spanish classics works including Don Quixote, one of the masterpieces of world literature. Expertly abridged and adapted for the intermediate learner, each tale and play includes ample cultural notes and translations of difficult words. An extensive vocabulary is included at the back of the book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

the literature of Spain modified for the intermediate reader
I have only had the book a few weeks, but I have enjoyed the parts I have read so far, and I look forward to reading more.Having just finished an Intermediate Spanish class, I was able to get through Don Quijote without any major problems.I only had to look up a few words in my dictionary.

A little above intermediate level
Years ago, I lived in Mexico and Guatemela (for about 5 years). I developed my spoken spanish to a level of medium fluency ( I can communicate clearly what I intend to communicate and understand clearly a vast majority of what is communicated to me). About 2 months ago I bought Rosetta Stone Homeshool Levels 1-3. In 2 months, studying for about an hour a day; I have worked through every reading, writing and speaking exercise (as well as the companion audio) in Levels 1 & 2 and am currently on level 3. I sailed through these lessons rather easily.

While the quality of the stories and the language presented is clear, I believe that this book is slightly on the advanced side. When I read it, I need a dictionary at my side. That being said - I bought it to learn - so my review is not a complaint rather is a clarification of the level.

Quick shipping!
The book was in good condition and was received promptly. One page had highlighting- no biggie.

Intermeiate Spanish text; an excellent classroom text
Introducing students to Golden Age literature is always a problem.This text makes such an introduction simple.Although it starts with the Cid (not really inappropriate) but the rest of the text makes this Classical Spanish literature accessible to Spanish major wannabees that are not native speakers.I am using it in my Introduction to Spanish Literature course at the Community College level.Great selection.

Estupendo!
This is exactly what I need to take my Spanish to the next level! I studied Spanish in college and took some classes at Instituto Cervantes but just as the cliche goes, I've practically lost it from not using it. Lately, I've been reviewing my notes, grammar references, but nothing beats reading the classics. Although simplified and modernized, anyone with an intermediate level Spanish can benefit from this book. I think that anyone interested must be at least familiar with conjugations in all tenses and moods, plus a working vocabulary. The footnotes (explanations/translations) make for efficient and productive reading.

Moreover, the works chosen for this anthology are the best representation of classic Spanish Literature. I'll probably never get to read Don Quijote in its original text but I'm content with reading the abridged version in this book. Hopefully, you'll find this book useful too! ... Read more

Product Description
A paperback of Gerald Brenan's account of Spanish literature from Roman times to the present, which has won praise from every quarter for its original and enthusiastic approach, its wide-ranging scholarship and elegant style. First published in paperback in 1976, this book remains a useful study of Spanish literary history. ... Read more

Product Description
First published in 1961, "A New History of Spanish Literature" has been a much-used resource for generations of students. The book has now been completely revised and updated to include extensive discussion of Spanish literature of the past thirty years.

Richard E. Chandler and Kessel Schwartz, both longtime students of the literature, write authoritatively about every Spanish literary work of consequence. From the earliest extant writings through the literature of the 1980s, they draw on the latest scholarship.

Unlike most literary histories, this one treats each genre fully in its own section, thus making it easy for the reader to follow the development of poetry, the drama, the novel, other prose fiction, and nonfiction prose. Students of the first edition have found this method particularly useful. However, this approach does not preclude study of the literature by period. A full index easily enables the reader to find all references to any individual author or book.

Another noteworthy feature of the book, and one omitted from many books of this kind, is the comprehensive attention the authors accord nonfiction prose, including, for example, essays, philosophy, literary criticism, politics, and historiography.

Encyclopedic in scope yet concise and eminently readable, the revised edition of "A New History of Spanish Literature" bids fair to be the standard reference well into the next century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A core addition
"Perception Of Magic In Medieval Spanish Literature" by Jennifer M. Corry (Assistant Professor of Spanish, Berry College, Rome, Georgia) is a work of seminal scholarship as it introduces the reader to the literature of medieval Spain with a special focus upon the depiction of magical practices held by the writers of that period in Spanish history. Religious, political and social events are explored to provide a framework and background to understanding Spain's unique historical development and the impact of the Spanish perspective on the lives and works of Spanish authors. Organized into four major chapters: Magic; Spanish Intellectual and Medical Treaties; 'Real' Magical Practitioners in Spain; and Magic in Medieval Spanish Literature. Professor Corry then draws some succinct and documented conclusions concerning how medieval Spanish writers viewed the role and practice of magic. Enhanced with a lengthy section of Notes, a 'List of References', and a comprehensive Index, "Perception Of Magic In Medieval Spanish Literature" is a core addition to academic library Spanish Literature and Medieval Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a revised, updated edition of Jean Franco's classic Introduction to Spanish-American Literature, first published in 1969 and much recommended ever since. Its coverage ranges from colonial times to the present day, the later chapters having been radically rewritten to take account of the most recent developments in both literature and criticism.English translations are provided for Spanish quotations in the text, and the extensively updated reading lists of primary and secondary material refer not only to Spanish texts but also, where available, to editions in English. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very good
It's probably the best summary you could hope for in such a concise format.For anyone who's interested in the topic but doesn't have the time to read a 4 volume history, this is a good one.A caveat however, there are some factual errors (a few mistakes on dates of publication, etc.) that better editing should have caught. ... Read more

Product Description
From the medieval Poem of El Cid to the 20th-century works of novelist Blasco-Ibanez and poet/playwright García Lorca: a rich sampling of the finest of all Spanish poetry, prose and drama. Over 70 selections by more than 40 writers appear in the original Spanish text with an English translation on the facing page.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Don't waste your money
I am very disappointed in this book. Instead of Transliteration, the author interprets the material from his/her viewpoint. If I could give a zero to this book then I would. If you are reading this book to practice/learn Spanish then you are wasting your time and money. If you have to read this book for Spanish literature then it might be ok. Below are some translations from the text so you can decide for yourself whether this book is for you or not.

Below are some translation examples from this book:

Spanish:En una noche oscura,...
Book's translation: Upon a darksome night,....

Spanish: Y no hay playa,...
Book's translation: There nowhere lies...

Spanish: Gracias a Dios y a usted por las nuevas cartas y nuevos consejos que me envía.
Book's translation:I return thanks to Heaven and to you for the letters and the counsels you have lately sent me.
... Read more

Product Description
This representative selection of Spanish literature from the twelfth to the seventeenth century provides a coherent study of full-length works rather than isolated remnants. These carefully chosen selections portray those persons and events of literary or historical significance that best illustrate the evolution of Spain's national character. English aids and an extensive vocabulary list achieve a comprehensive picture for the reader so as to facilitate an understanding of the robust nature of the Spanish language. Explanatory footnotes are plentiful throughout the book. The literature is cross-referenced, clearly creating a bridge of unity and continuity that links the many voices and motifs that have endured through the centuries. This anthology provides readers with an enriching and vibrant look at Spain during important periods of history. ... Read more

Product Description
An Answer Key is available for users of the text to check the accuracy of their own work. ... Read more

Product Description
Spanish literature has given the world the figures of Don Quixote and Don Juan, and is responsible for the "invention" of the novel in the 16th century. The medieval period produced literature in Castilian, Catalan, Galician, Latin, Arabic, and Hebrew, and today there is a flourishing literature in Catalan, Galician, and Basque as well as in Castilian--the language that has became known as "Spanish." Moreover, a multilayered history of exile has produced a transnational literary output, while writers in Spain have engaged with European cultural trends. This Very Short Introduction explores this rich literary history, which resonates with contemporary debates on transnationalism and cultural diversity. The book sheds much light on the ways in which Spanish literature has been read, in and outside Spain, explaining misconceptions, outlining the insights of recent scholarship, and suggesting new readings. It highlights the precocious modernity of much early modern Spanish literature, and shows how the gap between modern ideas and social reality stimulated creative literary responses in subsequent periods and how contemporary writers have adjusted to Spain's recent accelerated modernization. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Decent Expose of Spanish Literature
One of the first books that come to anyone's mind when Spanish Literature is mentioned is "Don Quixote" by Cervantes, considered by many to be the first modern European novel. Unfortunately, aside from that remarkable and timeless work of fiction very little is known of other Spanish writers outside of their country. I was looking forward to reading more about these lesser known authors and learning about the literary treasure of this important European country. This very short introduction has lived up to those expectations. It presents the important historical and cultural circumstances that have influenced Spanish literature. However, this reliance on the cultural and political information after a while gets in the way of understanding the literature in its own right. The impression that one gets after reading this short introduction is that literature's only purpose is to serve the political or ideological aims of its time. And yet, some of the biggest influences on the Spain's cultural patrimony (like Christianity) are barely mentioned, and even then are not taken very seriously. The author continuously projects some of today's standards and criteria onto the works that had been written in some cases centuries ago, and looks at them through the prism of today's mores and attitudes. There is also very little discussion of the quality of writing of individual writers, and almost no mention of different styles or literary genres that have developed over the time. After reading this book one will get a better idea of who some of the more significant Spanish authors are, but there is no way of ascertaining how good or interesting their works may be. For me at least, this introduction fails in one important way: after reading it, I am in no way compelled to go and start reading any of the works that had been mentioned herein. The book is overall well written and informative, but it's not quite what I had hoped it would be. I would give it three and a half stars if partial star ratings were possible. ... Read more

Product Description
Obra clasica de Fedor Dostoievski, en El jugador se encuentra el clima asfixiante que constituye la marca tipica del genial escritor ruso. Los hombres estan signados por la angustia y mas alla de la felicidad o la desventura de las circunstancias, estan atrapados por la inexorable condicion humana. ... Read more

Product Description
Herencia (meaning "inheritance" or "heritage") is the first anthology to bring together literature spanning the entire history of Hispanic writing in the United States, from the age of exploration to the present. The product of a ten-year project involving hundreds of scholars nationwide, Herencia is the most comprehensive literary collection available, covering over three centuries and including writers from all the major Hispanic ethnic communities as well as a broad sample of writing from diverse genres.Here is the voice of the conqueror and the conquered, the revolutionary and the reactionary, the native and the uprooted or landless. Of course, readers will find pieces by such leading writers as Piri Thomas, Luis Valdez, Isabel Allende, Oscar Hijuelos, and Reinaldo Arenas. But what truly distinguish this anthology are its historical depth and its rich, complex portrait of Hispanic literature in the United States. Beginning with Cabeza de Vaca's account of his explorations in the New World, the anthology includes a passage from La Florida, a narrative historical poem of 22,000 verses, written by Franciscan friar Alonso de Escobedo. It also features an attack on Mexican stereotypes in the nascent movie industry written by Nicasio Idar, editor of Laredo's La Cronica; and an essay about Coney Island written by revolutionary Jose Marti. Embracing Chicano, Nuyorican, Cuban American, and Latino writings, the voices of immigrants and the voices of exiles, Herencia makes a vital contribution to our understanding not only of Hispanic writing in the United States, but also of the great contribution Hispanics have made to the United States. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Far less than it could-and should-have been.
Herencia : The Anthology of Hispanic Literature of the United States by Nicolas Kanellos (Editor), is a book that's been creating a lot of buzz here in San Antonio (where I live), a town that is one of the centers of "Hispanic" literature.The buzz has been overwhelmingly negative, the primary thrust of the discussions being that this book is a "political" book and a "sellout".

The book does have some serious problems.First of all, this is not an anthology of "Hispanic" authors per se--calling it an anthology of "Latino" authors would have been more accurate.You'd think the guru's at an institution as prestigious and knowledgeable as the Oxford University Press would understand that entities other than the Spanish colonized the southern Americas.If this was intended to be a collection of "Hispanic" literature, several included authors should have been excluded.

As it is, excluding authors didn't seem to be an issue.A list of major "Hispanic" authors whose work does not appear-or even get passing mention-here would fill a much larger collection than this.Such a list would include major literary award recipients such as Kathleen Acala, Ana Castillo and Sandra Cisneros, as well as other, extremely well known and thought of artists as Julia Alvarez, Jose Antonio Burciaga, Alam Luz Villanueva, Denise Chavez, Gary Soto, Angela de Hoyos, John Phillip Santos, Juan Philipe Herrera, Arturo Islas and Cecile Pineda, to literally just name a few.

The word around here is that this is a "political" book in the politics os publishing sense.Mr. Kanellos is apparently know quite well in the Latino writing community as a man who helps those he like and attacks those he does not-apparently quite a list based on the omissions from this text.That sounds like pettiness at first blush-but when one looks at the way this book is constructed, one has to wonder.

Even with all that, the book is an impressive collection of works.that cover a wide range of Latio heritage (the translation of the title) and writing styles.

In the end, this stands not as "the" anthology of the (rather arrogant) title, but "an" anthology of "Latino" writers that is seriously flawed, but nevertheless stands as an impressive collection all the same.

A superb collection of Hispanic literature
A vast compilation of the struggles, strivings, and dreams of a people. The selections show a sharp eye for scholarship and passion is at work, one with a keen ear for the music of the language. Kudos to Dworkin y Mendez and the other editors for their labor of love and language. ... Read more

Product Description
Modernismo arose in Spanish American literature as a confrontation with and a response to modernizing forces that were transforming Spanish American society in the later nineteenth century. In this book, Cathy L . Jrade undertakes a full exploration of the modernista project and shows how it provided a foundation for trends and movements that have continued to shape literary production in Spanish America throughout the twentieth century. Jrade opens with a systematic consideration of the development of modernismo and then proceeds with detailed analyses of works--poetry, narrative, and essays--that typified and altered the movement's course. In this way, she situates the writing of key authors, such as Rubén Darío, José Martí, and Leopoldo Lugones, within the overall modernista project and traces modernismo's influence on subsequent generations of writers. Jrade's analysis reclaims the power of the visionary stance taken by these creative intellectuals. She firmly abolishes any lingering tendency to associate modernismo with affectation and effete elegance, revealing instead how the modernistas' new literary language expressed their profound political and epistemological concerns. ... Read more

Product Description
Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
This comprehensive survey of Spanish poetry includes Iberian and Latin American writing from the Middle Ages to the present. Unlike most literary histories, it offers a non-chronological approach to the subject. It is arranged by genres and forms (epic, ballad, sonnet) and themes and motifs (love, religious and moral poetry, satirical and pure poetry). The wide-ranging selections in this reference make it appropriate for course use. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A survey of Spanish poetry that goes beyond it
Walters' lucid prose manages neither to talk down to the reader nor get too academic.This is intended as a college-level text but I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in poetry in Spanish.

Some background with Spanish poetry and the language is helpful, although it is not necessary.Every quote (they are frequent and generous!) is followed by an English paraphrase in clear prose.Walters surveys generally at first then breaks everything down by genre: Epic, Ballad, Songs and Sonnets, Love poetry, Religious and Satire/Burlesqe.

His theoretical framework is informed by Harold Bloom's idea of 'the anxiety of influence' but thankfully not overwhelmed by it.I learned an enormous amount about poetry, not just Spanish poetry, by reading this book.Walters impressed me as a sensitive reader and critic.

Authors quoted in this book include: El Cid author, Manrique, Luis de Gongora, Lope de Vega, Quevedo, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, Jose de Espronceda, Jose Hernandez, Becquer, Miguel de Unamuno, Dario, Antonio and Manuel Machado, Vicente Huidobro, Pedro Salinas, Gerardo Diego, Lorca, Borges, Rafael ALberti, Luis Cernuda, Pablo Neruda, Octavio Paz, Blas de Otero, Ana Rosetti, Gioconda Belli and more. ... Read more