





“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.
“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.

The new sweeping yet personal overview of theLatino population of America, drawn from hundreds of interviews and prodigious research that emphasizes the diversity and little-known history of our largest and fastest-growing minority.
Marie’s new book is available for pre-order now »
In LatinoLand Marie Arana unabashedly celebrates Latino resilience and character and shows us why we must understand the fastest-growing minority in America.
“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
LATINOLAND
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. Among her recent positions are: Director of the National Book Festival, the John W. Kluge Center’s Chair of the Cultures of the Countries of the South, and Writer at Large for the Washington Post. For many years, she was editor-in-chief of the Washington Post’s book review section, Book World.
News & Events
Marie Arana Talks Silver, Sword, and Stone
Marie Arana’s Silver, Sword, and Stone takes the readers from pre-Columbian times through the region’s conquest, independence movements, dirty wars, and right down to the present. In doing so, the book explores three driving forces in the region’s history: mining—and particularly mining, violence, and religion through the tales of three contemporary Latin Americans. In this episode, the award-winning author tells AS/COA’s Carin Zissis why she wrote this sweeping history now.
Read More‘Pleasure, Obligation, Curiosity, Inspiration’: What’s on Marie Arana’s Nightstand
From the New York Times BY THE BOOK interview. Among other things, the author of “Silver, Sword & Stone: Three Crucibles in the Latin American…
Read MorePolitics and Prose: Review of Silver Sword and Stone
In Silver, Sword, and Stone Marie Arana seamlessly weaves these stories with the history of the past millennium to explain three enduring themes that have defined Latin America since pre-Columbian times: the foreign greed for its mineral riches, an ingrained propensity to violence, and the abiding power of religion.
Read MorePrevious Tour: Silver Sword and Stone
Dates and locations for the previous tour for Silver, Sword, and Stone.
Read More