Colonial Latin American Literature: A Very Short Introduction

A vivid account of the literary culture of the Spanish-speaking Americas from the time of Columbus to Latin American Independence, this Very Short Introduction explores the origins of Latin American literature in Spanish and tells the story of how Spanish literary language developed and
flourished in the New World. A leading scholar of colonial Latin American literature, Rolena Adorno examines the writings that debated the justice of the Spanish conquests, described the novelties of New World nature, expressed the creativity of Hispanic baroque culture in epic, lyric, and satirical
poetry, and anticipated Latin American Independence. The works of Spanish, creole, and Amerindian authors highlighted here, including Bartolom� de las Casas, Felipe Guaman Poma, Sor Juana In�s de la Cruz, and Andr�s Bello, have been chosen for the merits of their writings, their participation in the
larger literary and cultural debates of their times, and their resonance among readers today.

About the Series: Combining authority with wit, accessibility, and style, Very Short Introductions offer an introduction to some of life's most interesting topics. Written by experts for the newcomer, they demonstrate the finest contemporary thinking about the central problems and issues in hundreds
of key topics, from philosophy to Freud, quantum theory to Islam.


"A brilliant and engaging overview of colonial Latin American literature, replete with new insights and visions. Its brevity, clarity, and wit should make it the starting point for any study of the period and of the polemics of possession." -Frederick A. de Armas, Andrew W. Mellon Distinguished
Service Professor, University of Chicago

"Rolena Adorno has written the book that should have been written decades ago. Her unequaled scholarship, her power of synthesis, and her precise prose make this an introduction to colonial Latin American literature that will become indispensable to all students in the field." -Ver�nica Cort�nez,
professor of colonial studies, University of California, Los Angeles; author, Memoria original de Bernal D�az del Castillo