Popular South American Memoir Books
Find memoir books written by authors from South America for the next part of the Read Around The World Challenge. (35)
1.
All My Bicycles by Powerpaola EN
Country: South America / 
Ecuador
Ecuador
Description:
In this nonlinear graphic memoir, Powerpaola uses bicycles she's owned as a vehicle to explore the world, her relationships, her memories -- and herself.
2.
Black Teacher by Beryl Gilroy, Bernardine Evaristo EN
Country: South America / 
Guyana
Guyana
Description:
The rediscovered classic: an unforgettable memoir by a trailblazing black woman in post-war London, introduced by Bernardine Evaristo ('I dare anyone to read it and not come away shocked, moved and entertained ... One of the unsung heroines of Black British literature.')
3.
Child of the Dark : The Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus by Carolina Maria de Jesus EN
Country: South America / 
Brazil
Brazil
Description:
An uneducated Black woman exposes the squalid living conditions and savage human relationships that she experienced in a Brazilian slum.
4.
Cochabamba! : Water War in Bolivia by Oscar Olivera, Tom Lewis EN
Country: South America / 
Bolivia
Bolivia
Description:
Historically a common trust, water is now bought and sold as a private commodity. With billions at the mercy of an unrestrained marketplace, it is easy to understand why this precious resource is at the center of the international movement working to turn back the rising tide of corporate globalization. The triumphant struggle of grassroots activists in Cochabamba, Bolivia, sounded a significant opening salvo in the water wars. In 2001, water warriors there regained control of their water supply and defied all odds by driving out the transnational corporation that had stolen their water in the... continue
5.
Dancing with the Devil in the City of God : Rio de Janeiro on the Brink by Juliana Barbassa EN
Country: South America / Brazil
Brazil
Description:
Rio de Janeiro is a city of extremes: from Carnaval's hedonistic delights, to the poverty of the favelas, to the softly seductive samba beat. But there's a dark side to this beautiful city: for years, Rio was ravaged by inflation, drug wars, and crooked leaders, and the legacy of decades of corruption can be seen in the very real struggles the city faces today. Now, Rio is ready to remake itself, this time into a global, modern capital ready for its turn on the world stage with the Olympics in 2016. But at what price? Armed with sharp prose and a reporter's instinct, Rio-born journalist Julian... continue
6.
Dislocations by Sylvia Molloy EN
Country: South America / 
Argentina
Argentina
Description:
How do you keep a friendship intact, when Alzheimer's has stolen the common ground of language, memory, and experience, that unites you? In brief, sharply drawn moments, Sylvia Molloy’s Dislocations records the gradual loss of a beloved friend, M.L., a disappearance in ways expected (forgotten names, forgotten moments) and painfully surprising (the reversion to a formal, proper Spanish from their previous shared vernacular). There are occasions of wonder, too—M.L. can no longer find the words to say she is dizzy, but can translate that message from Spanish to English, when it's passed along by... continue
7.
Colombia8.
In The Shadow of the Mountain by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado EN
Country: South America / 
Peru
Peru
Description:
WINNER OF THE 2023 EDWARD STANFORD TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR 'Silvia Vasquez-Lavado is a warrior. I'm in awe of her strength and courage' - Selena Gomez 'An incredibly powerful story' Sunday Independent 'In the Shadow of the Mountain has all the elements a great memoir requires - a strong voice, cinematic prose, a hero to root for - in essence, an extraordinary story about an extraordinary woman's life' - San Francisco Chronicle 'Silvia Vasquez-Lavado is a woman possessed of uncommon strength, rare compassion, and a ferocious stubbornness to not allow the trauma of her childhood to destroy her l... continue
9.
La sociedad de la nieve by Pablo Vierci ES
Country: South America / 
Uruguay
Uruguay
Description:
El relato definitivo de la tragedia de los Andes, donde el liderazgo y la capacidad de superación fueron decisivos. Si fuera ficción, resultaría inverosímil. Pero fue y es verdad, y todos los supervivientes hablan por primera vez desde aquel accidente de avión que los encontró con alrededor de veinte años en los Andes, a cuatro mil metros de altura, sin abrigo ni comida. Ahora cada uno de los dieciséis recuerda en primera persona cómo fueron los setenta y dos días en la cordillera, cómo superaron esa situación extrema, cómo entendieron la muerte, qué significó el accidente y cómo influyó en su... continue
10.
La Vida Descalzo by Alan Pauls ES
Country: South America / Argentina
Argentina
Description:
Mezcla de autobiografía, ensayo cultural y documento imaginario, La vida descalzo es un homenaje al lugar común donde seguimos siendo felices sin miedo. Mar, arena, sol y la euforia de estar legalmente semidesnudos: la playa sigue vendiendo virtudes de paraíso natural, pero esa utopía salvaje es también el objeto eminentemente cultural, preñado de sentidos y valores sociales, que moldean la literatura, el cine y la comunicación de masas. Con un pie en la memoria personal y otro en el análisis cultural, Alan Pauls revisa las caras mú... continue