Being a Latin Americanist is really hard because – and here’s a fresh and deeply original thought for the day – Latin America is so much larger than Spain and there are consequently so many great writers. It’s impossible to follow them all.
At first*, I thought I should specialize just in the Northern Triangle of Central America. But then I realized that I’m already following 5 great writers from Mexico, two from Peru, two Colombians, 3 Cubans, and 1 Venezuelan. (Of course, almost all of them live in Spain anyway but still.) I can’t keep up!
It’s really weird that I went through two graduate programs in Hispanic Studies and came across nothing whatsoever that I would find exciting in Latin American literature (and a mountain of fascinating stuff in Spain).
This might mean I’m not a real Latin Americanist because I have no feel for the field and don’t get the things everybody sees as interesting. In Peninsular literature, I never had this problem.
I know I keep saying this but I discovered yet another great writer yesterday. That’s too much pleasure! I can’t stand this any more!
* For new readers: I’m a specialist in Peninsular Spanish literature who suddenly became a Latin Americanist last year.
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