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Reviewed by:
  • Early Spanish American Narrative
  • Errol King
Early Spanish American Narrative University of Texas Press, 2004 By Naomi Lindstrom

In the introduction to her study of early Spanish American narrative, Naomi Lindstrom sets parameters to guide the reader and briefly explain the scope of the study. She presents the material in chronological order, generally based on the time of its writing. The study discusses [End Page 218] prose narrative dating back to Christopher Columbus's first voyage and concludes at the end of the 19th century. The first texts dealing with the arrival of Columbus and the ensuing Conquest generally deal with historical events. Lindstrom addresses possible motives that the different authors may have had for writing about their experiences as well as the competing viewpoints. Though the accounts focus on historical events, Lindstrom includes them in her study because of their narrative value. Each of the different authors, whether they sought to publish their works, narrates the historical events of the time period.

As the study moves into the eighteenth century, Lindstrom notes the scarcity of narrative worth noting, particularly due to the ban that Spain imposed on the novel in the New World colonies. In order to smoothly transition from the description of historical narratives that provide their own context to fictional prose narrative, she continues to supply a context for the writings of the eighteenth and nineteenth century. She particularly focuses on the shift in themes as Spanish American narrative initially deals with the Conquest but later addresses the campaign for independence. Following the independence movement of the early nineteenth century, the focus shifts again, but this time it centers on nation-building and developing an identity. For the latter half of the work, Lindstrom addresses the different movements and tendencies evident in prose narratives written after the wars of independence, particularly novels. The rapid increase of publications in the latter half of the nineteenth century presents a particular problem for this study. Lindstrom manages to describe the first 350 years of Spanish American narrative in the first 108 pages. The book effectively introduces the works up until the mid-nineteenth century before categorizing the ensuing prose narratives within different movements that surfaced during the latter half of the century. The final 50 years covered by the study fill nearly 100 pages, yet Lindstrom admits that she can only address a sampling of these works since the number of prose narratives published during this time period far outnumbered their predecessors.

Lindstrom's overview of early Spanish American narrative admirably presents a topic that could fill volumes. She succinctly addresses a large corpus of Spanish American narrative in a manner that builds a context for each of the works. Consequently, the study is ideal for university courses focusing on Latin American prose or for those who would like to develop a foundational knowledge of the works in order to guide their future studies. Although other studies may offer more detailed descriptions and analyses of Spanish American narrative dating from the colonial period until 1900, few offer such a manageable and concise overview. The thorough research that has gone into writing this book makes it an asset to any library, personal or public.

Errol King
The University of Arizona
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