"Arana has achieved the impossible... LatinoLand is indispensable, unforgettable. A work of prophecy, sympathy and courage.”
–Junot Díaz, Pulitzer Prize winner
“Meticulously researched, the book’s greatest strengths are the power of its epic narrative, the beauty of its prose and its rich portrayals of character. . . . a marvelous book.” ~The Washington Post
Bolívar’s life is one of history’s most dramatic canvases, a colossal narrative replete with adventure and disaster, victory and defeat.
“American Chica transports us far beyond the conventional boundaries of ethnic memoir; with great delicacy, Arana helps us understand why the marriage of the Americas is as difficult as it is inevitable”.
–National Book Award
“Erotic, catastrophic . . . Arana’s novel of taboo passion, tragic misperception, and life’s hidden dimensions is as shattering as it is seductive.”
Marie Arana has created a rich, boisterous saga about a remarkable family, a wondrous invention, and a powerful collision between science, magic, and faith.
“Monumental, stupendous. . . . a must-read for anyone who wants to understand this hemisphere.”
~Julia Alvarez
“Meticulously researched, the book’s greatest strengths are the power of its epic narrative, the beauty of its prose and its rich portrayals of character. . . . a marvelous book.”
~The Washington Post
“A lively and learned account of Latin America, ingeniously structured.”
~The New York Times
A major work of history, Bolivar colorfully portrays a dramatic life even as it explains the rivalries and turmoil that bedeviled Bolivar’s tragic last days.
“Finally, Bolivar gets the sweeping biography he deserves. He was the greatest leader in Latin American history, and his tale is filled with lessons about leadership and passion. This book reads like a wonderful novel but is researched like a masterwork of history.” –Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs
Marie is a Peruvian-American author of nonfiction and fiction as well as the inaugural Literary Director of the Library of Congress. She is the recipient of a 2020 literary award from the American Academy of Arts & Letters. In 2024, she received the Leadership for the Americas Award from the Inter-American Dialogue at the Organization of American States (OAS).
Silver, Sword and Stone
News & Events
“Bolívar” wins the 2014 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in biography
On April 11, 2014, Marie’s “Bolívar: American Liberator” won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for biography. The jury’s citation read: “In this glowing and…
Read MoreMarie’s video about the film “Girl Rising”
This short clip made just after Marie’s visit to the La Rinconada gold mines in Peru, describes her meeting with 14-year-old Senna, the child laborer,…
Read More“Lima Nights” elegida mejor del año 2013
La novela “Lima Nights” fue elegida por el critico literario del periódico Comercio, Ricardo González Vigil, como una de las 5 mejores novelas del año…
Read MoreVideo about “Bolívar: American Liberator”
Here is a video made just after the publication of “Bolívar: American Liberator” in the offices of Simon & Schuster. There are more of Marie’s…
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