Looking for novels set in or about Argentina, Uruguay or Brazil

[Comingroundthemountain]

To buy a friend who is planning a big trip to these countries next year. Ones you think are actually good please, rather than random books.

Not a novel but The Motorcycle Diaries are very good. Che Guevara.

I came on the thread to say The Motorcycle Diaries!

Isabel Allende writes books set in South America- she is Chilean though, but Of Love and Shadows is set in Argentina, Eva Luna in an unnamed country.
City of the Beasts is set in the Amazonian rainforest.

Paolo Coelho is Brazilian, but I am afraid I don't like his stuff very much, so could not recommend it!

Jorge Luis Borges was Argentinian. He wrote extensively, fiction and non-fiction about Argentina.

Also City of God (also a film) by Paolo Lins.

Thank you - I had thought of Allende but thought they were all in Chile.

Cannot bear Paolo Coelho either!

My friend did a column in The Guardian about this kind of thing: The best books on Argentina or The best books on Brazil.

oooh thank you!

State of Wonder by Anne Patchett is set deep in the Brazilian rain forest and Manaus. I loved it !

Again, not a novel but "Beyond the Pampas" by Imogen Herrad is excellent - about Welsh settlers in Argentina.

Louis de Bernieres Latin American trilogy (the War of Din Emanuel's Nether Parts etc) is in a sort of made-up country but has references to Uruguayan politics and history. You can smell the rainforest!

Under the ombu tree by Hugh Ryan

changingname- I read earlier today that Anne Patchett 'stole' the story of State of Wonder from the real life of Elizabeth Gilbert and her Brazilian husband (wrote Eat, Pray, Love)!

coming round Glad it's not just me on the Coelho then.

Overandabove- I love de Bernieres books! All except Captain Corelli's which is unreadable bilge. I haven't read them for years, must re-read them.

Racundra - he's my all-time favourite author. I re-read The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman recently, and Birds Without Wings, which I think is the best, and am now embarked on his most recent one, The Dust that Falls from Dreams. I've been looking forward to starting it for ages!

When I used to internet date, pre dh, I discounted anyone who said their favourite book was The Alchemist. Which was a surprisingly high number of men. I suppose they thought it would show their sensitive side and get them laid, but just made me want to vomit.

Seconding State of Wonder by Anne Patchett - excellent book.

Just did a spot of googling to see if that was true Racundra and I don't think it is. Where did you read it? Can you link?

fish, it was in [http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/elizabeth-gilbert-interview-eat-pray-love-author-reveals-how-to-pursue-a-creative-life-in-new-self-10514821.html this interview with Gilbert]] from the Independent, yesterday. Though 'stole' is Gilbert's interpretation that Patchett had the idea from her...

sorry- missed off a bracket- article here

The Honourary Consul by Graham Greene

I live in Brazil and find a lot of books set in Brazil are writen by people who either haven't been here or have but their portrayal is outdated.
Two authors that I can highly recommend are Leighton Gage (an American that's lived here for decades and writes about a Brazilian detective) and Daniel Galero. I've just read buried strangers by Gage and Blood Drenched Beard by Galero.

I have rated the following books, so you can see which ones would tempt you...

Argentina: www.tripfiction.com/find-a-book/?location=Argentina&reset=1

Uruguay I liked this: www.tripfiction.com/books/the-invisible-mountain/

Brazil: www.tripfiction.com/find-a-book/?location=Brazil&reset=1

Hope this helps!

Thanks again all this is v helpful thread

I quite liked this one (Argentina) for the sense of place & history it creates.