Culture and Customs of Colombia

This insider's account of Colombia's culture and customs helps the reader develop a balanced view of Colombian life today. Colombia has the longest-standing democratic political system in Latin America, but it is also one of the most violent nations in the world. The full gamut of its culture—both positive and negative—is revealed in this insightful book that is ideal for student research. The authors highlight the most notable aspects of contemporary Colombian culture including coffee production, Nobel Laureate Gabriel García Márquez, painter Fernando Botero, vallenato music, and the notorious drug cartels.Colombia is one of the most diverse, regionalistic, and tradition-bound nations in Latin America. Culture and Customs of Colombia offers a thorough examination of those features of national life that make Colombia unique. The book begins by introducing the reader to Colombia's history, geography, and economy. Subsequent chapters discuss the profound importance of the formalities of Catholicism in daily and civic life, as well as the significance of traditional foods and clothing. Colombia's increasingly dynamic cultural scene is detailed in chapters on the performing arts and the plastic arts. The discussion of Colombian literature culminates in a special chapter devoted to the luminary Gabriel GarcÍa Márquez, known the world over for his magical novels, and whose influence and cultural participation in Colombian society are wide-ranging.

"Provides a broad introduction to Colombian culture. . . . The text is well written and effectively projects the authors' appreciation and affection for Colombia, its history, its literature, and its culture." - American Reference Books Annual

Raymond Leslie Williams is professor of Latin American Literature and Chair of the Department of Hispanic Studies at the University of California, Riverside. He was the founding president of the Association of North American Colombianists (1984-1985). He has published numerous articles and written several books on Latin American literature, two recent ones being The Modern Latin American Novel (1998) and The Writings of Carlos Fuentes (1996).Kevin G. Guerrieri is completing his PhD at the University of California, Riverside, on the twentieth-century Latin American narrative.