Sunday, August 9, 2015

WITMonth Day 9 - Spotlight on Mexico

It's interesting to me how little Mexican literature is translated. Considering its proximity to the US (and its cultural impact...), you'd expect there to be a little more than minimal translations. And yet largely the Anglo world is less interested in Central American literature. However, whereas the literary community has largely ignored South American women writers (while touting male ones, of course...), the reverse seems to be happening for Mexico. Let's look at a few, shall we? Incomplete list time!

  • Valeria Luiselli
  • Sabina Berman
  • Carmen Boullosa
  • Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
  • Laura Esquivel
  • Elena Garro
  • Margo Glantz
  • Natalia Toledo (Zapotec as well as Spanish)
  • Cristina Rivera Garza
  • ...and as always many, many others who have not been translated
Reminder: These lists are not only grossly incomplete, they represent my own research flaws almost as much as they do my capabilities. Lists of this kind must continue to be fluid and growing, as both more titles are translated and as more are revealed from the backlog.

2 comments:

  1. For the sake of argument, Meytal, can you suggest many South American women writers who have the critical reputation/status of numerous South American male writers like Aira, Bolaño, Borges, Cortázar, García Márquez, Guimarães Rosa, Machado de Assis, Neruda, Onetti, Nicanor Parra, Piglia, Puig, Saer, Vallejo, and Vargas Llosa? There are some, to be sure, but there aren't many in comparison, and critical perception is of course determined by male and female critics over time (whether you agree with their tastes is of course another matter). And why chide "the literary community" for supposedly largely ignoring South American women writers in favor of South American male writers if you yourself aren't recommending many viable alternates? With all due respect, aren't you yourself part of this literary community you're faulting for this supposed gender bias against South American women writers?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Posts spotlighting different South American countries (and the women in translation who originate from them) will be published next week or the week after.

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