Best Latin American writer?

Since a couple of days ago one of the most famous latin American writers died, but i have not read any full story or novel by him, i thought that this thread might have a reason for existing.

Of the Latin American writers (ie of any country south of US in the New World) i have only read a lot of works by Borges, who was in my view a very capable author, and original in his story concepts. Not a 'perfect' writer, but no one probably is by and large. He did create labyrinths inside his best stories, and was not afraid to not care that much about the readers getting all of the intended meaning (which to a point is inevitable, but on the other hand it rarely is a good idea to not have some semblance of a key to the lock you created in your story).

So in the thread you can discuss Latin American writers and their work. Apart from Borges i only read a few stories by other Argentinian writers (more notably that one about the Axolotl).

I dont know the best, thats also a rather subjective concept... but i enjoy alot the works of
Luis Sepulveda (allthough admitadly too lefist for alot of people tastes, but that might be a thing for plenty of South American authors naturaly).

However i like specialy Isabel Allende, to Check "House of Spirits" ( wich has seen cinematographic and theatrical adaptation), and also "City of the Beasts"

Then you have stuff from Pablo Neruda and Olavo Billac as poetry is concerned, two of the most important poets of the XX century at least in its respective linguistic spheres, Pablo Neruda as Castillian language is concerned, and the other as Portuguese language.
Billac is famous for writing the lyrics of the Brazilian anthem for instance, and quite the character.
Allthough i must mention i dont think Neruda has much in comon to Billac, and i much prefer Billac then Neruda. He seems to be less political then Neruda in his works, even if it had its troubles with the ditactorship at the time.
Olavo Billac poems:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

DELÍRIO (Original version)

Nua, mas para o amor não cabe o pejoNa minha a sua boca eu comprimia.E, em frêmitos carnais, ela dizia:– Mais abaixo, meu bem, quero o teu beijo! Na inconsciência bruta do meu desejoFremente, a minha boca obedecia,E os seus seios, tão rígidos mordia,Fazendo-a arrepiar em doce arpejo. Em suspiros de gozos infinitosDisse-me ela, ainda quase em grito:– Mais abaixo, meu bem! – num frenesi. No seu ventre pousei a minha boca,– Mais abaixo, meu bem! – disse ela, louca,Moralistas, perdoai! Obedeci...

DELIRIUM (Translation to English)

Naked, but for love modesty is unfit,On my mouth I pressed hers.And, in carnal trembling, she said:– Lower, my love, I want your kiss! In the brute unconsciousness of desireFrenetic, my mouth obeyed,And her breasts, so rigid I bit,Making them stir in sweet uprising. In sighs of infinite enjoymentShe told me, still almost shouting:– Lower, my love! – in a frenzy. In her belly I laid my mouth– Lower, my love! – she said, crazy,Moralists, forgive! I obeyed...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Última Flor do Lácio (Original version)

Última flor do Lácio, inculta e bela,És, a um tempo, esplendor e sepultura:Ouro nativo, que na ganga impuraA bruta mina entre os cascalhos vela... Amo-te assim, desconhecida e obscura.Tuba de alto clangor, lira singela,Que tens o trom e o silvo da procela,E o arrolo da saudade e da ternura! Amo o teu viço agreste e o teu aromaDe virgens selvas e de oceano largo!Amo-te, ó rude e doloroso idioma, em que da voz materna ouvi: "meu filho!",E em que Camões chorou, no exílio amargo,O gênio sem ventura e o amor sem brilho!

The Portuguese Language
(Translation to English)


Last flower of Latium, wild, uncultured, fair,
You are, at once, both splendor and the grave:
Pure gold, the gangue's impurities don't bare
A mine that´s veiled 'mid rocks and graveled.

I love you thus, unknown, obscure and hidden,
A blaring trumpet, lyre of guilelessness,
Whose fury's like the sea that's tempest ridden,
Whose lullabies are love and tenderness!

I love your lush green woods and perfume wrung,
From virgin jungles and expansive sea!
I love you, rude and sorrowful native tongue,

In which my mother said: "dear son of mine!"
In which Camões bemoaned, grieved exile he,
His luckless genius and love's tarnished shine!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

ABSTRAÇÃO (Original version)

Há no espaço milhões de estrelas carinhosas,Ao alcance do teu olhar... mas conjecturasAquelas que não vês, ígneas e ignotas rosasViçando na mais longe altura das alturas Há na terra milhões de mulheres formosas,Ao alcance do teu desejo... mas procurasAs que não vivem, sonho e afeto que não gozasNem gozarás, visões passadas ou futuras. Assim, numa abstração de números e imagens,Vives. Olhas com tédio o planeta ermo e tristeE achas deserta e escura a abóbada celeste. E morrerás, sozinho, entre duas miragens:As estrelas sem nome- a luz que nunca viste,E as mulheres sem corpo- o amor que não tiveste! ABSTRACTION (Translation to English)

There are in space millions of gentle stars,To the reach of your sight... but thou conjectureThe ones thou don´t see, igneous and obscure rosesExuberating in the farthest height of heights. There are in Earth millions of beautiful women,To the reach of your desire... but thou search forThe ones who don´t live, dream and affection thou do not enjoyNeither will, past or future visions. Thus, in an abstraction of numbers and images,Thou live. You look with boredom at the isolated and sad planetAnd find the heavenly vault desert and dark. And thou´ll die, alone, between two mirages:The stars with no name- the light thou´ve never seen,And the women with no body- the love thou´ve not had!

Then of course you have the Nobel prized Gabriel Garcia Marquez. May he rest in piece.

Pablo neruda, octavio paz, sor Juana inez de la cruz, gabo, etc
Read a bit of them , the best? Who knows

Machado de Assis, Olavo Billac, Pablo Neruda, Luis Sepulveda. In that order of perference, without deciding who's best, I guess. Two Portuguese-speaking and two Spanish-speaking authors.

Although, as you can see, I pretty much only know "contemporary" Spanish authors from Latin America. Machado de Assis is almost as old as Brazil.

I don’t usually like Latin American authors; Borges is enjoyable .
The prologue to the “guide to the perfect Latin American idiot” is one of the most hilarious things I have ever read. It was written by Mario Vargas Llosa.

I read a couple of books from Saramago when I was in college; some were ok, but overall average and a little pretentious (and not in a good way), others were outright offensive to my intelligence.
I tried reading Garcia Marquez, NOT fun at all.

I read a couple of books from Saramago when I was in college; some were ok, but overall average and a little pretentious (and not in a good way), others were outright offensive to my intelligence

Saramago isnt from South America though. Im going to be honest and i dont like Saramago as well, and im Portuguese... im not taking away his credit, he sure does have it, and i enjoyed some of his books, but overall he is an author i dont like very much.

Originally Posted by Knight of Heaven

Saramago isnt from South America though. Im going to be honest and i dont like Saramago as well, and im Portuguese... im not taking away his credit, he sure does have it, and i enjoyed some of his books, but overall he is an author i dont like very much.

Ups, for a moment there I thought he was Brazilian. I now know the error of my ways.

As a brazilian i probably should read more of its literature, but i found myself only buying military/history related books nowadays, be it in english or portuguese....


BUT one writer i really enjoyed its work was Graciliano Ramos, writer of 'Vidas Secas'. Surprised myself of how much i liked that book.

I completely forgot Jorge Amado... the greatest Brazilian writer of all times, and also a friend of Saramago.

Ups, for a moment there I thought he was Brazilian. I now know the error of my ways.

You know as Saramago is concerned, im do not find him ofensive at all, allthough i could see why some people would, i think he is masterly on showcasing traits of Human condition, even though i belive there is plenty more to Human condition, then what he tells.
Sadly history of Humanity often proves him right though imo. I find his bashing on god, and the virgin Mary, not ofensive but very anoying, mostly because i realy find the theme uninteresting, and couldnt fit more on the Comunist stereotype of the anti religious, and of the intolerant mind against it.
Even though i completely understand where he comes from. Portugal at the time of the dictatorship and before the Carnation revolution, without a doubt was medieval socialogic speaking.
Regardless it puts me off, this kind of old school marxist thinking on this issue. Its so last century if you know what im talking about.

What i dont like of Saramago is the way he writes, so often i find his books an hassle to read.
Im not sure how are the english versions of the books, but in Portuguese he often doesnt write by comon gramatical rules, so it can be a bit painfull to read it. Or it takes a time to get used to it.
Then again the same can be said for Brazilian authors, for the comon Portuguese european speaking people at least, and for African Portuguese people too.
It just takes a time to get used to it.

Originally Posted by Knight of Heaven

I completely forgot Jorge Amado...

Thanks ill probably try that in the holydays.

Originally Posted by Knight of Heaven

I find his bashing on god, and the virgin Mary, not ofensive but very anoying, mostly because i realy find the theme uninteresting, and couldnt fit more on the Comunist stereotype of the anti religious, and of the intolerant mind against it.
Even though i completely understand where he comes from. Portugal at the time of the dictatorship and before the Carnation revolution, without a doubt was medieval socialogic speaking.
Regardless it puts me off, this kind of old school marxist thinking on this issue. Its so last century if you know what im talking about.

That’s what made me think of him as a Brazilian; in my limited experience that mindset is extremely common in Latin America. I guess the causes of the doom of peninsular peoples are older than that distinction.

Originally Posted by Knight of Heaven

What i dont like of Saramago is the way he writes, so often i find his books an hassle to read.
Im not sure how are the english versions of the books, but in Portuguese he often doesnt write by comon gramatical rules, so it can be a bit painfull to read it. Or it takes a time to get used to it.
Then again the same can be said for Brazilian authors, for the comon Portuguese european speaking people at least, and for African Portuguese people too.
It just takes a time to get used to it.

I read him in Spanish, and while I found it a little pretentious, it was not overly so. There are English and American writers that I love that are even more so. Then again as you say Portuguese is harder to master than Spanish so it is likely something was lost in the translation.