Books on Nicaragua: A Few Summer Reading Lists

By Joshua | July 15th, 2007 | 2 Comments »

Nicaragua has long inspired poets, journalists, novelists, and artists, so we Nicaphiles never have a shortage of new titles to add to our lists. Plus, there are oodles of out-of-print treasures to be dug up out there. It’s hard to keep up sometimes.

I realized how far behind I am after stumbling on an excellent reading list compiled by Preston C. Enright of Denver: “Nicaragua: Surviving US terrorism” is 40 titles strong and was created “to honor the Nicaraguans and those who work in solidarity with them.” I also found a list called “So You’d Like to Learn More About Nicaragua,” compiled by Ryan, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. I found several books I’d never heard of, including a novel by Silvio Sirias which appears on both lists. Bernado and the Virgin is set in Nicaragua just after the 1980 Sandinista revolution. Based on the actual events of tailor and pig farmer Bernardo Martinez’s encounter with the Holy Virgin in his village of Cuapa, the book is also a “stormy epic of Nicaragua through the long Somoza years to the Sandinista revolution.” Can’t wait to read it.

Please let me know you have your own Nicaragua (or Belize) book list. I’m always looking for suggestions.