“Un mundo para Julius” (A World for Julius) is a novel by Peruvian author Alfredo Bryce Echenique, first published in 1970. The book tells the story of Julius, a young boy born into a wealthy family in Lima, Peru, in the 1950s. Through Julius’s eyes, the novel portrays the privileged lifestyle of Lima’s upper class and the contrast with the poverty and social inequality that surrounded them. Julius’s experiences shape his worldview, causing him to question the values and expectations of the society he was born into. The novel is both a coming-of-age story and a social commentary on class and race in Peru.

“La ciudad y los perros” (The Time of the Hero) is a novel by Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa, first published in 1963. The book is set in a military school in Lima, Peru, and explores the harsh and violent world of the cadets who attend the school. The story follows several characters as they navigate the strict hierarchy and brutal rituals of the school, including a group of cadets who plot a theft and the consequences that follow. The novel is known for its vivid portrayal of the harsh realities of military life and the corrupt power structures that exist within it. It is also considered a seminal work of the Latin American literary boom of the 1960s and established Vargas Llosa as a major voice in contemporary literature.

“No se lo digas a nadie” (Don’t Tell Anyone) is a novel by Spanish author Jaime Bayly, first published in 1994. The book tells the story of Joaquín, a young man from a wealthy Peruvian family who discovers he is HIV positive. Fearing rejection from his family and society, he decides to keep his diagnosis a secret and begins living a double life. As he struggles to come to terms with his illness and his own identity, he becomes involved in a passionate love affair with a woman named Luciana. However, their relationship is complicated by Joaquín’s fear of intimacy and the secrets he is keeping. The novel is a powerful exploration of love, identity, and the impact of societal expectations on individual lives. It has been praised for its frank portrayal of homosexuality and the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS.

“The Feast of the Goat” is a novel by Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa, first published in 2000. The book tells the story of the final days of the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, who ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 until his assassination in 1961. The novel weaves together the stories of several characters, including Urania Cabral, a successful lawyer who returns to the Dominican Republic after many years living in the United States; Joaquín Balaguer, a politician who served as Trujillo’s right-hand man; and Trujillo himself, whose grip on power becomes increasingly tenuous as he ages. Through these characters, Vargas Llosa explores the brutal violence and corruption of Trujillo’s regime, as well as the lasting psychological impact it had on the people of the Dominican Republic. The novel has been praised for its complex portrayal of power, politics, and memory, and is considered one of Vargas Llosa’s most important works.