Abelardo Díaz Alfaro
Encyclopedia
Abelardo Díaz Alfaro was a Puerto Rican
author who reached great fame throughout Latin America
during the 1940s. Some say his actual year of birth was 1919, but officially it was always announced as 1916. His book Campo Alegre is a text that has been studied at schools in Austria, Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand as well as all over the Americas.
, but soon after, his family moved to Ponce
. He returned to Caguas to attend University and married Gladys Meaux, with whom he had 2 daughters and one son.
Díaz Alfaro obtained a Bachelor's degree in Arts at the Instituto Politécnico de San Germán, which is now known as Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico. He also obtained a title as a social worker, as well as certificates in Spanish and Psychology
.
He also obtained many honorary doctorates from different universities.
Some of his short stories, like "Peyo Mercé ensena inglés" or "Santa Cló va a la Cuchilla" (in Terrazo
) create a manichean dichotomy between unlearned Puerto Rican peasants and American invaders (portrayed through the mandatory teaching of the English language in Puerto Rico). Thus, a praise of layman culture is expressed throughout his short stories. The metaphor of weak or feminine Americans versus uneducated but brave Puerto Ricans is taken later by other writers like Ana Lydia Vega
.
He was able to do conferences in many points of Latin America after reaching fame, including Mexico (at the Ateneo Español), Venezuela
and many other countries. His books have been translated to English, Polish, Russian, German, French, Italian and Czech, among other languages.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
author who reached great fame throughout Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
during the 1940s. Some say his actual year of birth was 1919, but officially it was always announced as 1916. His book Campo Alegre is a text that has been studied at schools in Austria, Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand as well as all over the Americas.
Life and career
Díaz Alfaro was born in Caguas, Puerto RicoCaguas, Puerto Rico
Caguas , founded in 1775, is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey....
, but soon after, his family moved to Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
. He returned to Caguas to attend University and married Gladys Meaux, with whom he had 2 daughters and one son.
Díaz Alfaro obtained a Bachelor's degree in Arts at the Instituto Politécnico de San Germán, which is now known as Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico. He also obtained a title as a social worker, as well as certificates in Spanish and Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
.
He also obtained many honorary doctorates from different universities.
Some of his short stories, like "Peyo Mercé ensena inglés" or "Santa Cló va a la Cuchilla" (in Terrazo
Terrazo
Terrazo is a book written in 1947 by Puerto Rican writer Abelardo Diaz Alfaro. The book won many awards, including that of the Sociedad de Periodistas Universitario y Instituto de Literatura Puertorriqueña, and made it to the national libraries of many other Latin American countries where Diaz...
) create a manichean dichotomy between unlearned Puerto Rican peasants and American invaders (portrayed through the mandatory teaching of the English language in Puerto Rico). Thus, a praise of layman culture is expressed throughout his short stories. The metaphor of weak or feminine Americans versus uneducated but brave Puerto Ricans is taken later by other writers like Ana Lydia Vega
Ana Lydia Vega
Ana Lydia Vega is a celebrated Puerto Rican female writer. She has received the Premio Juan Rulfo and the Premio Casa de las Américas . Vega was a professor of French literature and Caribbean studies at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras...
.
He was able to do conferences in many points of Latin America after reaching fame, including Mexico (at the Ateneo Español), Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and many other countries. His books have been translated to English, Polish, Russian, German, French, Italian and Czech, among other languages.
Works
Among the books he wrote are =]- TerrazoTerrazoTerrazo is a book written in 1947 by Puerto Rican writer Abelardo Diaz Alfaro. The book won many awards, including that of the Sociedad de Periodistas Universitario y Instituto de Literatura Puertorriqueña, and made it to the national libraries of many other Latin American countries where Diaz...
(published in 1947) - Mi Isla Soñada
- Los Perros
- The Eye of the Heart
- United States in Literature
- Classic Tales of Spanish America
- Cuentos del Mundo Hispano (Spanish version of Classic Tales)
- Changes Antologia Mundial
- The Green Antilles
- Contemporary Readers
- National Catholic
- The Princeton Tiger
- Europe in France
- Campo Alegre.
See also
- List of Puerto Rican writers
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Puerto Rican literature