"This book manages to bring together a fascinating selection of different types of stories and crónicas (reports) so as to offer a justly complex and distinct narrative of Venezuela. It is an extraordinary effort, a doorway that only good writing can offer: where ambiguity manages to overcome the kingdom of stereotypes, to defeat the Manichean moralism which aims to turn history into a mere paean. Here is a country that survives its own headlines. A country to be read." - From the forward by Alberto Barrera Tyszka. 

While Venezuela may be known around the world for its oil or its politics, Venezuelan writing remains almost entirely unknown, with only a handful of books having been published in English in recent years. Crude Words is our response to this gap, a celebration of Venezuelan literary talent.

Crude Words brings together 30 pieces of writing by Venezuelans, including short stories, extracts from novels, and essays, from genres as diverse as journalism to erotica. There are pieces about food shortages, police brutality and the all-pervasive fear of violent crime, but there is also love, and sex, fantasy and fun. 

Read a piece by co-editor Katie Brown and a review in the Glasgow Review of Books here.

Hear Katie discuss Crude Words on the Mr B's podcast here.

Read a review in Asymptote here.

Read an interview with co-editor and Ragpicker founder Tim Girven (in Spanish) here.