The House of the Spirits

Often called “the world’s most widely read Spanish-language author,” Allende has written numerous instant classics and was awarded the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014. What began as a letter to her dying grandfather turned into an international bestseller and a staple of the genre of magical realism. This is a must-read whether or not you ever plan to visit Chile. (Book recommended by H.E. Juan Gabriel Valdés, Chilean ambassador to the U.S., in CN Traveler.)

The Motorcycle Diaries

During his nine-month journey through Latin America, a 23-year-old Che is roused by the poverty and social injustices he witnesses from the seat of his one-cylinder motorcycle, thus planting the seed for him to become the world’s most famous Marxist revolutionary — and future symbol of counterculturalism. Continued interest in Guevara’s life has landed his memoir on The New York Times bestseller list on multiple occasions.