The 99 Greatest Works of Latin American Literature
This selection of literature from Latin America is base d on the continuing research carried out for The Greatest Literature of All Time list and is additionally informed by the views of local readers, writers, critics and scholars.
It encompasses the greatest works of Latin American authors in all forms, genres, cultures and periods.
Note, Caribbean countries, which are sometimes considered part of Latin America, are not included here as the Caribbean has its own greatest literature list.
This list focuses on major creative works—such as novels, novellas, plays and collections—although some short or nonfiction writing of literary significance may also be included.
Latest update: May 29, 2024
1769
O Uraguai
by José Basilio de Gama, Brazil
Epic poem
1845
La Quena
by Juana Manuela Gorrito, Argentina
Novella
1862
Martin Rivas
by Alberto Blest Gana, Chile
Novel
1865
Iracema
by José de Alencar, Brazil
Novel
1867
Maria
by Jorge Isaacs, Colombia
Novel
1871
"Slaughter Yard"
by Esteban Echeverria, Argentina
Story
1872–1879
Martín Fierro
by José Hernández, Argentina
Epic poem
1877
Cumandá
by Juan Léon Mera, Ecuador
Novel
1881
The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cuba
by Joaquin Maria Machado de Assis, Brazil
Novel
1882
The Alienist
by Joaquin Maria Machado de Assis, Brazil
Novella
1888
Azul...
by Rubén Darío, Nicaragua
Prose and poetry collection
1888–1894
Blanca Sol
by Mercedes Cabello de Carbonera, Nicaragua
Prose and poetry collection
1889
Birds Without a Nest
by Clorinda Matto de Turner, Peru
Novel
1895
Santa Evita
by Tomás Eloy Martínez, Argentina
Novel
1899
Dom Casmurro
by Joaquin Maria Machado de Assis, Brazil
Novel
1900
El Moto
by Joaquín García Monge, Costa Rica
Novel
1905
Songs of Life and Hope
by Rubén Darío, Nicaragua
Poetry collection
1916
Ther Underdogs
by Mariano Azuela, Mexico
Novel
1922
Despair
by Gabriela Mistral, Chile
Poetry collection
1925
Residence on Earth and Other Poems
by Pablo Neruda, Chile
Poetry collection
1927
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
by B. Traven, Mexico
Novel
1929
Doña Bárbara
by Rómulo Gallegos, Venezuela
Novel
1931
The Carreta
by B. Traven, Mexico
Novel
1938
Harvesting
by Gabriela Mistral, Chile
Poetry collection
Human Poems
by César Vallejo, Peru
Poetry collection
1940
The Invention of Morel
by Adolfo Bioy Casares, Argentina
Novel
1941
Broad and Alien is the World
by Ciro Allegra, El Salvador
Novel
1941–1956
Fictions
by Jorge Luis Borges, Argentina
Story collection, originally Ficciones
1943
Near to the Wild Heart
by Clarice Lispector, Brazil
Novel
1946
Mr. President
by Miguel Angel Asturias, Guatemala
Novel
1948
The Tunnel
by Ernesto Sabato, Argentina
Story collection
1949
Men of Maize
by Miguel Angel Asturias, Guatemala
Novel
The Aleph and Other Stories
by Jorge LUis Borges, Argentina
Story collection
1950
Canto General
by Pablo Neruda, Mexico
Poetry collection
The Labyrinth of Solitude
by Octavio Paz, Mexico
Essay collection
1953
The Burning Plain and Other Stories
by Juan Rulfo, Mexico
Story collection, also known as The Plain in Flames or El Llano in Flames, originally El Llano en llamas
1955
Pedro Páramo
by Juan Rulfo, Mexico
Novella
1956
The Devil to Pay in the Backlandso
by João Guimarães FRosa, Brazil
Novel, originally Grande Sertão: Veredas
1957
Sunstone
by Octavio Paz, Mexico
Poem
1958
Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon
by Jorge Amado, Brazil
Novel
Where the Air Is Clear
by Carlos Fuentes, Peru
Novel
Deep Rivers
by José María Aguedas, Mexico
Novel
A World for Julius
by Alfredo Bryce Echenique, Peru
Novel
1961
No One Writes to the Colonel
by Gabriel García Márquez, Colombia
Novella
The Shipyard
by Juan Carlos Onetti, Uruguay
Novel
1962
The Book of Lamentations
by Rosario Castellanos, Mexico
Novel
The Death of Artemio Cruz
by Carlos Fuentes, Mexico
Novel
The Green House
by Mario Vargas Llosa, Peru
Novel
1962–1983
Labyrinths
by Jorge Luis Borges, Argentina
Story collection
1963
Hopscotch
by Julio Cortázar, Argentina
Novel, originally Rayuela
Selected Poems
by Octavio Paz, Mexico
Poetry collection
Time of the Hero
by Mario Vargas Llosa, Peru
Novel
1964
The Passion According to GH
by Clarice Lispector, Brazil
Novel
1966
All the Fires the Fires
by Julio Cortázar, Argentina
Story collection
1967
One Hundred Years of Solitude
by Gabriel García Márquez, Colombia
Novel, originally Cien años de soledad
1968
Betrayed by Rita Hayworth
by Manuel Puig, Argentina
Novel
Tent of Miracles
by Jorge Amado, Brazil
Novel
1969
Here's to You, Jesusa
by Elena Poniatowska, Argentina
Nonfiction novel
Heartbreak Tango
by Manuel Puig, Argentina
Novel, also known as Little Painted Mouths, originally Boquitas pintadas
Conversation in the Cathedral
by Mario Vargas Llosa, Peru
Novel
1975
The Book of Sand
by Jorge Luis Borges, Argentina
Story collection
Terra Nostra
by Carlos Fuentes, Mexico
Novel
The Autumn of the Patriarch
by Gabriel García Márquez, Colombia
Novel
1976—1979
The Kiss of the Spiderwoman
by Manuel Puig, Argentina
Novel
1977
Hour of the Star
by Clazrice Lispector, Brazil
Novel
Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter
by Mario Vargas Llosa, Peru
Novel
1980
America and Other Poems
by Raúl Otero Reiche, Bolivia
Novel
1981
Chronicle of a Death Foretold
by Gabriel García Márquez, Colombia
Novella
The War of the End of the World
by Mario Vargas Llosa, Peru
Novel, originally La guerra del fin del mundo
1982
The House of the Spirits
Novel, originallyLa casa de los espíritus
Novel
1982–1986
Memory of the Fire
by Eduardo Galeano, Uruguay
Novel series
1984
Real Life of Alejandro Mayta
by Mario Vargas Llosa, Peru
Novel
1985
Love in the Time of Cholera
by Gabriel García Márquez, Colombia
The Old Gringo
by Carlos Fuentes, Mexico
Novel
Tear This Heart Out
by Ángeles Mastretta, Peru
Novel
1986
Who Killed Palomino Molero?
by Mario Vargas Llosa, Peru
Novel
1988
The Alchemist
by Paulo Coelho, Brazil
Novel, originlly O Alquimista
1989
Like Water for Chocolate
by Laura Esquivel, Mexico
Novel
The Storyteller
by Mario Vargas Llosa, Peru
Novel
1990
The Witness
by Juan José Saer, Argentina
Novel
Death and the Maiden
by Ariel Dorfman, Chile
Novel
Omeros
by Derek Walcott, Argentina
Epic poem
1993
Adventures and Misadventures of Maqroll
by Álvaro Mutis, Colombia
Novella series
Death in the Andes
by Mario Vargas Llosa, Peru
Novel
1994
Of Love and Shadows
by Isabel Allende, Chile
Novel
Our Lady of the Assassins
by Fernando Vallejo, Colombia
Novel
1997
Money to Burn
by Ricardo Piglia, Argentina
Novel
1998
Veronika Decides to Die
by Paulo Coelho, Brazil
Novel
The Savage Detectives
by Roberto Bolaño, Chile
Novel, originally Los detectives salvajes
1999
The Years With Laura Diaz
by Carlos Fuentes, Mexico
Novel
In Search of Klingsor
by Jorge Volpi, Mexico
Novel
2000
The Devil and Miss Prym
by Paulo Coelho, Brazil
Novel
The Feast of the Goat
by Mario Vargas Llosa, Peru
Novel, originally La fiesta del chivo
2002
City of the Beasts
by Isabel Allende, Chile
Novel, originally La ciudad de las bestias
2004
2666
by Roberto Bolaño, Chile
Novel
Memories of My Melancholy Whores
by Gabriel García Márquez, Colombia
Novella
2006
Inés of My Soul
by Isabel Allende, Chile
Novel
2009
Signs Preceding the End of the World
by Yuri Herrera, Mexico
Novel
2016
Tell Me How It Ends
by Valeria Luisella, Mexico
Novel
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