Reading List: 12 Books Set in South America
History books inform us, but fiction can transport us. The books featured in this reading list will immerse you in the vibrant cultures, bustling cities, and remote corners of South America. Taking you to Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela without you ever leaving your sofa. Each book has been read and recommended by the Wayfarer’s Bureau team. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did.
State of Wonder
Author: Ann Patchett
Set in: Brazil
Summary: State of Wonder is a thrilling adventure set deep in the Amazon rainforest. It follows Marina Singh, a pharmacologist, as she embarks on a mission to investigate the mysterious death of her colleague and track down a reclusive scientist, Dr. Annick Swenson. Dr Swenson has been working on a revolutionary fertility drug but has gone off the grid, leaving her research and her whereabouts shrouded in mystery. Marina's journey into the heart of the jungle is a journey of self-discovery as well. She struggles with the loss of her colleague, questions her past, and is forced to confront the ethical complexities of scientific progress. Along the way, she encounters the breathtaking beauty and the harsh realities of the Amazon.
Clean
Author: Alia Trabucco Zerán
Set in: Chile
Summary: Clean is set in the aftermath of a young girl's death in a wealthy Chilean family. The narrative unfolds through the perspective of the family's longtime maid, Estela, as she is interrogated by the police. Estela's account reveals the dynamics within the household, exposing secrets and hidden tensions that simmer beneath the surface of their seemingly perfect lives. As the investigation progresses, Estela's own story emerges, forcing readers to confront questions of class, power, and the complexities of human relationships.
Land of Smoke
Author: Sara Gallardo
Set in: Argentina
Summary: Land of Smoke is the first of Sara Gallardo’s books translated into English. This collection of over 40 short stories showcases Gallardo’s talent for magical realism. They vary in length, location and time. Still, all embrace a surreal atmosphere, challenging the boundaries between what is real and what is imagined. Gallardo explores themes of identity, cultural heritage, and the human condition.
Love in the Time of Cholera
Author: Gabriel García Márquez
Set in: Colombia
Summary: Love in the Time of Cholera is an epic love story that spans decades. Set against a cholera epidemic in northern Colombia, it explores themes of love, loss, and the enduring power of the human heart.
Fever Dream
Author: Samanta Schweblin
Set in: Argentina
Summary: Fever Dream is a chilling and atmospheric tale that explores the unsettling boundaries between reality and nightmare. Told through a fragmented and disorienting conversation between a dying woman, Amanda, and a young boy, David, the narrative gradually unravels the events leading up to Amanda's current state.
The Sound of Things Falling
Author: Juan Gabriel Vásquez
Set in: Colombia
Summary: The Sound of Things Falling follows Antonio Yammara, a law professor in Bogotá, whose life gets turned upside down after meeting an ex-pilot, Ricardo Laverde. Antonio becomes obsessed with uncovering Laverde's past, which leads him down a dangerous path filled with secrets and deception. The story explores Colombia's troubled history with drug wars and how it impacts ordinary people, even years later.
The Story of the Night
Author: Colm Tóibín
Set in: Argentina
Summary: The Story of the Night is a moving and personal exploration of identity, family, and love. The novel introduces us to Richard, a young gay man. We follow his journey as he navigates a society grappling with intolerance and sweeping political and economic change.
Violeta
Author: Isabel Allende
Set in: Chile
Summary: Through letters to her grandson, Violeta recounts her ninety-seven years of life in South America, sharing her devastating losses, passionate love affairs, and secret hopes for the future. Her flaws, such as her naivety regarding the violence and struggle taking hold of her country, make her a relatable and endearing narrator. Violeta's life is full of interesting characters who, through their interactions with her, illuminate the importance of family, love, and resilience.
The Dust Never Settles
Author: Karina Lickorish Quinn
Set in: Peru
Summary: In The Dust Never Settles, Anaïs Echeverría returns to Lima pregnant and alone to sell her family's ancestral home. She finds the crumbling mansion haunted by ghosts of the past, who little by little reveal not only the family's history but the country's as well. Anaïs questions reality as she becomes overwhelmed by forgotten memories, folklore, and stories of generations long dead.
The Remainder
Author: Alia Trabucco Zerán
Set in: Chile and Argentina
Summary: The Remainder is a haunting novel that examines the lingering trauma of the past in post-dictatorship Chile. The story follows three young friends, Felipe, Iquela, and Paloma, whose lives are deeply intertwined with the legacy of their parent's involvement in the resistance movement. When Paloma's mother dies and her body is lost in transit, the trio embark on a surreal road trip in a hearse, to search for her remains. The young friends grapple with the burden of inherited grief and guilt, as they search for meaning in a society struggling to reconcile its past with its uncertain future.
If you prefer reading non-fiction, try one of these travel diaries, for real-life accounts of exploring South America:
The Motorcycle Diaries
Author: Ernesto "Che" Guevara
Set in: Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Panama, and the United States Of America
Summary: In 1952, twenty-three-year-old medical student Ernesto "Che" Guevara and his friend Alberto Granado embarked on a journey across South America on a single motorcycle. Guevara's diary documents their encounters and shares his thoughts on poverty, injustice, and the human condition.
"It is in cases like this, when a doctor knows he is powerless in such circumstances, that he longs for change; a change which would prevent the injustice of a system in which until a month ago this poor old woman had had to earn her living as a waitress, wheezing and panting but facing life with dignity … it is then, for people whose horizons never reach beyond tomorrow, that we see the profound tragedy which circumscribes the life of the proletariat the world over".
In Patagonia
Author: Bruce Chatwin
Set in: Argentina and Chile
Summary: In Patagonia recounts Bruce Chatwin's journey through the remote southern landscapes of Chile and Argentina in the 1970s. Chatwin encounters a fascinating cast of characters and weaves together their stories with historical anecdotes and his own observations. The book leaves a lasting impression long after the journey ends.
