The idea of seeking and presenting the best photobooks of Latin America was born during the 2007 Latin-American forum on photography in São Paulo. On this occasion we observed the critical lack of a cartography of the books published in the 20th century on the continent. A rigorous investigation was lead to offset this silence by a systematic rescue of unquestionably valuable works, result of a complex alchemy between many ingredients: images, sequence, text, layout, binding, printing quality... The research focused exclusively on photobooks published in Latin America by Latin-American authors involved in carrying out their work. During three years, through 19 countries from Cuba to Patagonia, we interviewed photographers, graphic artists, collectors, scholars, publishers, and sifted through their libraries and archives. Chasing the unknown on the scale of a continent has converted this investigation into a quest both breathtaking and ... electrifying. The result is surprising. Powerful, complex, troubling, often forgotten, cursed or secret books have emerged. Throughout the pages, unfolds ''something that is part of caress, complaint, appeal, complicity, bitter denunciation'' (Julio Cortazar). Finally, this critical study reveals the remarkable contribution of Latin America in world history of photobook.