Juan Vásquez: The Informers

146 La Voragine ( The Vortex ): Atmospheric protest novel concerning the Amazon rubber industry, by Jose Eustasio Rivera (1888–1928), published in 1924. It is probably the most important Colombian novel prior to Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude .

147 Emil Pruefert : Head of the Nazi Party of Colombia from 1936 to 1941.

148 German Arciniegas (1900-99): Renowned Colombian historian and essayist. He was Minister of Education in Eduardo Santos's government, from 1941 to 1942, and again during Alfonso Lopez's second government, from 1945 to 1946.

172 Jose Maria Villarreal (1910-99): Conservative politician. Governor of Boyaca during the final years of World War II and later Minister of Commerce under Laureano Gomez. He was also Colombia's ambassador in London and Tokyo.

172 godo : Formerly derogatory slang term for Conservative.

172 Pantano de Vargas : Site of the battle on July 25, 1819, in which Simon Bolivar, in command of the Colombian army, defeated the Spanish general Jose Maria Barreiro and thereby achieved independence from Spain.

213 Laureano Gomez (1889–1965): Principal Conservative politician of the war years, famous for his ferocious opposition to U.S. policies and for his sympathy for the regime of Francisco Franco. He was President of Colombia from 1950 to 1953 and was deposed by the coup d'etat that brought General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla to power.

224 NI (No Information), KN (Known Nazi) : Secret codes used in the intelligence reports on possible subversive activities, according to FBI director J. Edgar Hoover's instructions. Other codes were: BN (Believed Nazi), BF (Believed Fascist), KF (Known Fascist), BSL (British Statutory List).

281 Andres Escobar (1967-94): Colombian soccer player murdered in confusing circumstances. During the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Escobar scored an own goal that resulted in Colombia's elimination from the tournament. Back in Medellin he was murdered after a fight in a bar, apparently occasioned by an argument about the goal.

281 Luis Carlos Galan (1943-89): Liberal politician and presidential candidate on two occasions. He was assassinated on August 18, 1989.

281 Carlos Pizarro Leongomez (1951-90): Commander in chief of M-19, the Colombian guerrilla group that was active from late 1973 or early 1974 to 1990. He led M-19 to demobilization and disarmament, and was to stand as a presidential candidate. He was assassinated on April 26, 1990.

288 Leaf Storm ( La Hojarasca): Gabriel Garcia Marquez's first novel, released in 1954.

Anne McLeanhas translated Latin American and Spanish novels, short stories, memoirs, and other writings by authors including Julio Cortazar, Ignacio Martinez de Pison, Evelio Rosero, and Tomas Eloy Martinez. Her translations of Javier Cercas's novels have been short-listed for the IMPAC award and have received the Premio Valle-Inclan and the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize.