Celia Correas de Zapata, an internationally recognized expert in the field of Latin American fiction written by women, has collected stories by thirty-one authors from fourteen countries, translated into English by such renowned scholars and writers as Gregory Rabassa and Margaret Sayers Peden. Contributors include Dora Alonso, Rosario Ferré, Elena Poniatowska, Ana Lydia Vega, and Luisa Valenzuela. The resulting book is a literary tour de force, stories written by women in this hemisphere that speak to cultures throughout the world. In her Foreword, Isabel Allende states, “This anthology is so valuable; it lays open the emotions of writers who, in turn, speak for others still shrouded in silence.” Thirty-one authors representing 14 Latin American nations are showcased in this collection. Traditionally, Latin American culture has virtually ignored the contributions of the few women able to give voice to their imaginations. Fortunately, that mindset has begun to evolve, and record numbers of Latin American females have been entering the recognized literary ranks. The enormous popularity of magic realism has also provided an enthusiatic international audience for previously unrecognized regional writers. Although diverse in plots and themes, these stories are unified by the fact that they were all authored by female residents of male-dominated societies and are all grounded in various combinations of the realistic, the surrealistic, and the supernatural. First published and translated in 1990, the Modern Library stamp of approval guarantees renewed interest in this stellar anthology. Margaret Flanagan Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “[A] needed general text for courses in contemporary Latin American and women’s literature.” — The New York Times Book Review Celia Correas de Zapata, an internationally recognized expert in the field of Latin American fiction written by women, has collected stories by thirty-one authors from fourteen countries, translated into English by such renowned scholars and writers as Gregory Rabassa and Margaret Sayers Peden. Contributors include Dora Alonso, Rosario Ferré, Elena Poniatowska, Ana Lydia Vega, and Luisa Valenzuela. The resulting book is a literary tour de force, stories written by women in this hemisphere that speak to cultures throughout the world. In her Foreword, Isabel Allende states, ?This anthology is so valuable; it lays open the emotions of writers who, in turn, speak for others still shrouded in silence.? s de Zapata, an internationally recognized expert in the field of Latin American fiction written by women, has collected stories by thirty-one authors from fourteen countries, translated into English by such renowned scholars and writers as Gregory Rabassa and Margaret Sayers Peden. Contributors include Dora Alonso, Rosario Ferré, Elena Poniatowska, Ana Lydia Vega, and Luisa Valenzuela. The resulting book is a literary tour de force, stories written by women in this hemisphere that speak to cultures throughout the world. In her Foreword, Isabel Allende states, “This anthology is so valuable; it lays open the emotions of writers who, in turn, speak for others still shrouded in silence.” Celia Correas de Zapata is the author of Isabel Allende: Vida y Espíritu , as well as many articles and essays. Isabel Allende , one of Latin America’s foremost writers, is the author of numerous books, including The House of the Spirits , Of Love and Shadows , Eva Luna , and Paula . An Act of Vengeance Isabel Allende On that glorious noonday when Dulce Rosa Orellano was crowned with the jasmines of Carnival Queen, the mothers of the other candidates murmured that it was unfair for her to win just because she was the only daughter of the most powerful man in the entire province, Senator Anselmo Orellano. They admitted that the girl was charm- ing and that she played the piano and danced like no other, but there were other competitors for the prize who were far more beautiful. They saw her standing on the platform in her organdy dress and with her crown of flowers, and as she waved at the crowd they cursed her through their clenched teeth. For that reason, some of them were overjoyed some months later when misfortune entered the Orellano’s house sowing such a crop of death that thirty years were required to reap it. On the night of the queen’s election, a dance was held in the Santa Teresa Town Hall, and young men from the remotest villages came to meet Dulce Rosa. She was so happy and danced with such grace that many failed to perceive that she was not the most beautiful, and when they returned to where they had come from they all declared that they had never before seen a face like hers. Thus she acquired an unmerited reputation for beauty and later testimony was never able to prove to the contrary. The exaggerated descriptions of her translucent skin and her diaphanous eyes were passed from mouth to mouth, and each individual added so