Bolivia declared its independence from Spain on Aug. 6, 1825. The South American country, named after Simon Bolivar, is located in the Andean Mountains.
• Poet Yolanda Bedregal (1913-1999) has published more than 20 books of poetry and novels, including Bajo el oscuro sol, about a woman’s struggles during a revolution. The government of Bolivia gives out a poetry award in her name.
• Edmundo Paz Soldán is considered the country’s best-known contemporary novelist, winning awards and a Guggenheim Fellowship. His novels, including Turing’s Delirium and The Matter of Desire, frequently cover the politics in Latin America. He currently lives in the United States and has taught at Cornell University.
• Another contemporary novelist, Giovanna Rivero has written several novels and short story collections, including Sangre dulce/Sweet Blood. Visit her blog.
Sources: Washington University in St. Louis, Wikipedia, Good Reads, A Year of Reading the World blog
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