"The Violence is an astute and disturbing book, a deft analysis of the intricate relationships between the personal and the political, a book that refuses many of the pat resolutions and fawning memorializations of those who came before us." —Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist

"The Violence by Adriana E. Ramírez is a stunning achievement. Through the epic journey of Ramírez's Colombian family, we traverse decades of political upheaval, revolutions, and heartache. But it is Ramírez's grandmother, Esther, whose strength and resilience create an unforgettable story of survival. As we witness a country perpetually at war with itself, it is clear that the ultimate cost is personal. This book is a timely, critical work of nonfiction that illuminates so much of what we're living through today." —Cleyvis Natera, award-winning author of The Grand Paloma Resort and Neruda on the Park

"Adriana E. Ramírez has conjured a work that is the inverse of violence. This passionate, insightful book is about continuing on, after an era of brutal random horror. Ramírez's insights on the tenacity of her grandmother, her sharp sense of humor about family dynamics, and her nuanced analysis of Colombian history left me with a renewed sense of hope amid the unremitting horrors of our own time. This lively, absorbing book is hard to put down. It's extraordinary." —Idra Novey, author of Take What You Need

"A mesmerizing and unflinching dual portrait of a family and a country navigating the relentless tides of war. Impeccably researched, The Violence is a powerful testament to the resilience of Esther, the fearless matriarch at its center, her beloved Colombia, and the battles each have fought in the name of love, homeland, power, and justice across generations. Ramírez has given us an unforgettable masterwork of striking historical precision and elegiac beauty." —Patricia Engel, author of The Faraway World

"A breakthrough work of personal and political history, The Violence is both intimate and vast, written in shatteringly beautiful prose. Adriana E. Ramírez tells the story of her Colombian family through the turbulent twentieth century, interweaving a primer on the nation’s shifting powers and allegiances. The Violence reveals the luck, circumstance and stubbornness that allows some to survive a longlasting and chaotic conflict. Poetically imagined, sometimes elegiac, The Violence reveals a time of turmoil with few heroes—save Esther Angarita, Ramírez’s formidable grandmother." —Carolyn Kellogg

"The Violence is a tour de force. Adriana Ramirez has gifted the world an epic, wise and personal book that can clue us into the afterlife of the horrors we are experiencing today. It reads as if she has invited us around the campfire to listen to the juiciest gossip except this book is not a rumor this shit actually happened. Unlike so much of what we see on the news, this book is fact-checked and rigorously researched. Moreover, It reads like a novel—it’s the best compliment I can give it. Read this book!" —Angie Cruz, author of Dominicana