Home > Research Guides > Latin American Literature: A Guide for the General Examinations

4. Literary Histories

Alvarado Tenorio, Harold. Literaturas de América Latina. 1. ed. Cali, Colombia: Centro Editorial, Universidad del Valle, 1995.
Widener: WID-LC PQ7081 .A545 1995

Contents: t. 1. La declaración de independencia intelectual. Barbarie, positivismo y organización. Literatura y mestizaje -- t. 2. Las vanguardias. La nueva novela -- t. 3. El laberinto de la soledad. Fin de siglo.

Anderson Imbert, Enrique. Historia de la literatura hispanoamericana. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1970, 1954.
Widener: SAL 20.122.2.2
Lamont: PQ7081 .A563 1970

Considered a foundational reference tool though now dated., with an emphasis on bio-bibliography rather than analytical history (Balay). English edition published in 1963.

Bellini, Giuseppe. Historia de la literatura hispanoamericana. Madrid: Castalia, 1985.
Widener: WID-LC PQ7081 .B33 1985

A survey from Literaturas Precolombianas through literary genres of the twentieth century. Expanded version of La letteratura ispanoamericana.

The Cambridge history of Latin American literature / edited by Roberto González Echevarría and Enrique Pupo-Walker. Cambridge; New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1996.
Widener: WID-LC PQ7081.A1 C35 1996

Classic, comprehensive source. v. 1. Discovery to modernism -- v. 2. The twentieth century -- v. 3. Brazilian literature. Bibliographies with each chapter. Includes bibliography of bibliographies by Woodbridge.

Franco, Jean. An introduction to Spanish-American literature. 3rd ed. Cambridge [England]; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994.
Widener: WID-LC PQ7081 .F64 1994

Compact survey with excellent bibliographies, including translations.

Geist, Anthony L. Modernism and its margins: reinscribing cultural modernity from Spain and Latin America / edited by Anthony L. Geist and José B. Monleón. New York: Garland, 1999.
Widener: WID-LC PQ6073.M6 G45 1999

A collection of essays covering the modernist cultural production on Spain and Latin America, including Brazil. Introduction and two sections of essays: The Problematics of Modernism and Modernists from the Margins. The first set of chapters address the issue from a "broadly and ideological perspective, generating productive critical tensions which engage complementary as well as contradictory theoretical paradigms." The second set treats a "diversity of modernist authors and texts across a broad geographical and chronological field." (--Intro.)

Goic, Cedomil. Historia y crítica de la literatura hispanoamericana. Barcelona: Editorial Crítica, 1988-1991.
Widener: WID-LC PQ7081 .G54 1988

Introductory essays, bibliographies and excerpts from historical and critical works. Contents: 1. Epoca colonial. 2 Del romanticismo al modernismo. 3. Epoca contemporánea. Substantial bibliographies after each chapter.

Hart, Stephen M. A companion to Spanish-American literature. London; Rochester, NY: Tamesis, 1999.
Widener: WID-LC PQ7081 .H353 1999
Lamont: PQ7081 .H353 1999

"Suggestions for Further Reading" are bibliographical essays related to each chapter.
Contents: Introduction: unpacking the Canon -- The Amerindian legacy, and the literature of conquest and discovery -- Colonial and viceregal literature -- Nineteenth-century literature : part 1 -- Nineteenth-century literature : part 2 -- Twentieth-century literature : part 1 -- Twentieth-century literature : part 2-- Some post-modern developments. General bibliography.

Historia de la literatura hispanoamericana / Manuel Alvar ... [et al.]; Luis Iñigo Madrigal, coordinador. Madrid: Cátedra, 1982-
Widener: WID-LC PQ7081 .H57 1982
Lamont: PQ7081 .H57 1982

Contents: t. 1. Epoca colonial -- t. 2. Del neoclasicismo al modernismo. (Projected third volume to cover the twentieth century). Includes bibliographies and indexes.

A history of literature in the Caribbean / edited by A. James Arnold; subeditors, Julio Rodríguez-Luis, J. Michael Dash ; at-large editors, Josephine V. Arnold, Marie A. H Hertzler, Natalie M. Houston. Amsterdam; Philadelphia: J. Benjamins, 1994-2001.
Widener: WID-LC PN849.C3 H57 1994

Contents: v. 1. Hispanic and francophone regions -- v. 2. English- and Dutch-speaking regions -- v. 3. Cross-cultural studies.

Manual de literatura hispanoamericana / Felipe B. Pedraza Jiménez, coordinador. Berriozar, Navarra [Spain]: Cénlit Ediciones, 1991-
Widener: WID-LC PQ7081 .M28 1991

Definitive literary history. Numbered outline format and detailed bibliographies after each chapter. Contents: 1. Epoca virreinal -- 2. Siglo XIX -- 3. Modernismo -- 4. Las vanguardias.

Rowe, William. Poets of contemporary Latin America: history and the inner life. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
Widener: WID-LC PQ7082.P7 R69 2000

Contents: Nicanor Parra -- Ernesto Cardenal -- Gonzalo Rojas -- Jorge Eduardo Eielson -- Juan L. Ortiz -- Ana Enriqueta Terán -- Raúl Zurita and American space -- The subversive languages of Carmen Ollé.

Suárez Radillo, Carlos Miguel. El teatro romántico hispanoamericano: una historia crítico-antológica / Carlos Miguel Súarez Radillo. Madrid: Ediciones Cultura Hispánica: Instituto de Cooperación Iberoamericana, 1993.
Widener: WID-LC PQ7082.D7 S95 1993x

Detailed literary history with exemplary excerpts from many texts. In four parts: 1. El teatro romántico en México, Centroamérica y Las Antillas. 2. El Teatro romántico en Perú, Bolivia y Chile. 3. El teatro romántico en Colombia, Panamá , Ecuador y Venezuela. 4. El teatro romántico en el Paraguay, La Argentina y el Uruguay. Indice bibliográfico.

Walters, D. Gareth. The Cambridge introduction to Spanish poetry. Cambridge, UK; New York, NY, USA: Cambridge University Press, 2002.
Widener: WID-LC PQ6076 .W35 2002

An historical survey of both Iberian and Latin American writing. Uses a non-chronological approach to "highlight the continuity and persistence of genres and forms (epic, ballad, sonnet) and of themes and motifs (love, religious and moral poetry, satirical and pure poetry)."