The constant political turmoil that Bolivia has experienced throughout its history has slowed the development of Bolivian literature. Many talents have had to emigrate or were silenced by the internal conflict. In recent years the literature of Bolivia has been in a process of growth, with the appearance of new writers. Older writers such as Adela Zamudio, Oscar Alfaro, and Franz Tamayo continue to be important.

Nearly half of Bolivia's population speaks indigenous languages such as Quechua, Aymara or Guarani. The indigenous peoples of Bolivia have a rich oral tradition, as expressed in myths, legends, and stories; these stories generally have not been transcribed in writing.

Notable writers

Notable Bolivian writers include:

The Bolivian Novel

In 2004, a book-length survey of the best Bolivian novels was published. It attempted to identify the top 10 novels in Bolivian literature, winnowing them down from a longer list of 91 novels. The study was done by Carlos Diego de Mesa Gisbert. Below is the list of top 30 novels as identified in the book.[1]

  1. Juan de la Rosa (1909) by Nataniel Aguirre
  2. Raza de Bronce (1919) by Alcides Arguedas
  3. La Chaskanawi (1947) by Carlos Medinaceli
  4. Los deshabitados (1959) by Marcelo Quiroga
  5. Aluvión de fuego (1935) by Oscar Cerruto
  6. Metal del diablo (1946) by Augusto Cespedes
  7. Matias el apostol suplente (1971) by Julio de la Vega
  8. Manchay Puytu (1977) by Nestor Taboada Teran
  9. Felipe Delgado (1979) by Jaime Saenz
  10. Tierras hechizadas (1932) by Adolfo Costa du Reis
  11. La candidatura de Rojas (1909) by Armando Chirveches
  12. Tirinea (1969) by Jesus Urzagasti
  13. Los fundadores del alba (1969) by Renato Prada Oropeza
  14. En las tierras del Potosi (1911) by Jaime Mendoza
  15. Yanakuna (1952) by Jesús Lara Lara
  16. Socavones de angustia (1947) by Fernando Ramirez Velarde
  17. Altiplano (1945) by Raul Botelho Gozalvez
  18. La casa solariega (1916) by Armando Chirveches
  19. La nina de sus ojos (1948) by Antonio Diaz Villamil
  20. La sima fecunda (1933) by Augusto Guzman
  21. Los Andes no creen en Dios (1973) by Adolfo Costa du Reis
  22. Mallku (1974) by Gaston Suarez
  23. El signo escalonado (1975) by Nestor Taboada Teran
  24. Historia de la Villa Imperial (1736) by Bartolome Arzans
  25. Su excelencia y su ilustrisima (1889) by Santiago Vaca Guzman
  26. Paginas barbaras (1914) by Jaime Mendoza
  27. Sangre de mestizos (1936) by Augusto Cespedes
  28. Repete (1937) by Jesús Lara Lara
  29. Prisionero de guerra (1938) by Augusto Guzman
  30. Mateo Montemayor (1969) by Fernando Diez de Medina

Bibliography

  • Elizabeth Monasterios: "Chapter 42 La Paz- Chukiyawu Marka" in: Literary Cultures of Latin America. A comparative History, ed. by Mario J. Valdés and Djelal Kadir, Volume II: Institutional Modes and Cultural Modalities, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004, pp. 474–497

References

  1. ↑ Las diez mejores novelas de la literatura boliviana (2004), by Carlos D. Mesa Gisbert

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