September 15th marks the celebratory Independence Day for many Central American countries, including Guatemala. Located near Mexico and El Salvador, Guatemala is known for its fertile land and delicious coffee, and it is the home to ancient Mayan civilizations. What you might not know, however, is that they also have many incredible authors. Before we take a look at these writers, though, let’s look at the history of Guatemala’s Independence Day.
History
On September 15th, 1821, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua declared their independence from Spain. After many years of colonization, these countries were able to regain their freedom and begin to develop themselves independently.
Today, Guatemalans worldwide host celebrations for Independence Day. These often include traditional music, often played on the marimba, an instrument similar to a xylophone, as well as dances, clothing, food, and, of course, lots of flags.
Now, back to the books! Without further ado, here are four Guatemalan writers you should check out.
Miguel Ángel Asturias
Miguel Ángel Asturias (1899-1974) is arguably the most famous Guatemalan writer. Asturias was a poet, novelist, and lawyer, and he was deeply involved in the country’s complicated politics of the time. His work brought attention to the corrupt political landscape but also captured the beauty of the culture, especially of the indigenous people of Guatemala. Asturias was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1967.
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Some notable works include Mr. President (El Señor Presidente), a political novel about what life is like under a dictatorship, and Men of Maize (Hombres de Maíz), a novel about outsiders encroaching on Mayan men and the corn they protect.
Claudia D. Hernández
Claudia D. Hernández is a contemporary Guatemalan writer, photographer, editor, translator, and bilingual educator. Hernández brings much of herself into her writing, discussing culture, Indigenous identity, and immigration. She writes in English, Spanish, and Poqomchi, an Indigenous dialect.
She is known for Knitting the Fog, her memoir that uses both poetry and narrative essays, as well as her children’s book about an indigenous Guatemalan girl titled The Orchid of Quetzalí.
Francisco Goldman
Francisco Goldman was born in Boston to a Guatemalan mother and a Jewish-American father. He spent many years covering civil wars as a journalist in Guatemala and Central America. He is also a novelist, writing both fiction and nonfiction.
Goldman’s most recent book, Monkey Boy, is a biography that tells the story of what it was like growing up in a mixed-culture family. The book was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2022. His other popular novel is The Long Night of White Chickens, which won the Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction, follows two friends who reconnect in Guatemala after the death of someone they used to know.
Jennifer De Leon
Like Goldman, De Leon was born in Boston to Guatemalan parents. She is a writer, editor, and professor primarily known for writing YA novels. Her work focuses on Guatemalan and Latin American culture and experiences, particularly in the US, and she is currently working on two children’s books.
Some notable works of hers include Borderless, a novel about a teenage girl attending design school in Guatemala City, and her non-fiction collection, White Space: Essays on Culture, Race, & Writing.
These Guatemalan authors’ expressive writing highlights the vibrancy and diversity of the culture. Picking up one of their books is a perfect way to celebrate Guatemalan independence and learn more about the people. You might just find a new favorite author on this list!
Interested in other Latin American writers? Find them here!
Check out even more Latinx book recommendations on Bookshop.org!
