I am hoping to get a more in-depth understanding of the collapse of the Spanish Empire in South America. I am a complete newcomer to the subject, so any general texts would be welcome.
The Americas in the Age of Revolution 1750-1850 by Lester Langley: This book gives basic accounts and compares the American Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and Latin American revolutions. I think it does a nice job contextualizing the independence movements, showing how they are related to one another, and explaining the events of the conflicts. It is also an easy book to skip the stuff you already know.
Americanos: Latin America's Struggle for Independence by John Charles Chasteen: This book focuses on the leaders who led the independence movements and chronicles the events that led to independence. It is enjoyably readable, though sometimes it is difficult to remember who all the different actors are...which makes it a bit confusing at times.