R. M. Koster

"The second book in R.M. Koster's highly acclaimed Tinieblas trilogy (following The Prince), The Dissertation is the story of--and a story by--Camilo Fuertes. To fulfill his Ph.D. requirement, Fuertes decides to write about his father, the martyred president of Tinieblas, a country in Latin America. We follow Leon as he winds his twisted path through delinquency, learning, bravery, and incest to the presidency. At once a powerful vision of Latin American history and a brilliant parody of the academic form--complete with endnotes!--The Dissertation is an essential postmodern novel in the tradition of Vonnegut, Barth and Nabokov, ready to be embraced by a new generation of readers"--

The death and posthumous vengeance of Hugo Spadafora -- The coup d'etat -- The brief time of Boris Martínez -- Early in the time of Omar Torrijos -- The martyrdom of Héctor Gallego -- Trading on patriotism -- Snowing the senate -- Torrijos the politician -- La Prensa, the sack of Panama, and Rubéén Paredes -- Of the criminals, by the criminals, for the criminals -- Noriega Tyrannus -- The chancre bursts.