These seventeen stories from the Caribbean and Central and South America encompass a tremendous variety of subjects, settings, moods, and styles -- from worldly sophistication to outright savagery. Ranging in publication dates from 1867 to 1922, each story is by a different writer from a different country. All are well-known names in Spanish-American literature -- Rubén Darío, José Martí, Amado Nervo, Rómulo Gallegos, and Ricardo Palma -- some of whom are otherwise distinguished as novelists, poets, diplomats, and statesmen.This dual-language edition features an informative introduction and ample footnotes, making it not only a pleasure to read but also a valuable educational aid for students and teachers of Spanish-American literature.