Spanning from before the Europeans arrived in Spanish America to the present, this anthology provides students with a deep and extensive appreciation of more than 600 years of Hispano-American literature. The 57 selections in Pinceladas literarias hispanoamericanas represent both traditionally significant writers, as well as the writings of indigenous, female and afro-Hispanic authors that are not usually included in the official cannon. The result is a collection that gives students a unique and diverse perspective of the Latin American literary world, addresses the repercussions of Spanish colonialization, and presents a rich history of the different periods.

By combining biographies with literary commentary, the reader can connect each writer's personal history with their literary production, which in many cases is inseparable.