Enrique Laguerre
Encyclopedia
Enrique Arturo Laguerre Vélez (May 3, 1906 – June 16, 2005) was a Nobel literature prize nominee, teacher and critic
from Moca, Puerto Rico
. His works include novels, plays
and a writing newspaper columns for El Vocero
newspaper.
and Columbia University
.
In 1924, he took courses on teaching in rural areas in the town of Aguadilla. The courses where taught by Carmen Gómez Tejera. After this he taught from 1924 to 1988, both at the elementary school and university levels.
Laguerre was known to use the pen-names of Tristan Ronda, Luis Urayoan, Motial and Alberto Prado, among others. Married for many years to the well-respected writer Luz V. Romero Garcia, he also worked in many Puerto Rican publications before joining the staff of El Vocero
.
In 1998, his peers as well as former governors Rafael Hernández Colón
and Luis A. Ferré
, advocated for Laguerre to be considered for the Nobel Prize in Literature
. Despite their efforts, Laguerre was not awarded the prestigious award.
Laguerre was an emeritus
member of the Center for Advanced Studies on Puerto Rico and the Caribbean
.
Enrique Laguerre died on June 16, 2005, at the age of 99. His body was laid to rest on the grounds of the Palacete Los Moreau
, an old "hacienda" restored as a museum, in his native town of Moca.
, Laguerre most influential work focus on the problems of the colonized society. His novel La Llamarada offers a compressive view of rural Puerto Rico during the Great Depression
. Most of his novels are essential reading of Puerto Rican literature courses.
Obra Literaria - Novelas
Ensayos y Teatro
Critic
A critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced...
from Moca, Puerto Rico
Moca, Puerto Rico
Moca is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the north-western region of the island, north of Añasco; southeast of Aguadilla; east of Aguada; and west of Isabela and San Sebastián. Moca is spread over 12 wards and Moca Pueblo...
. His works include novels, plays
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
and a writing newspaper columns for El Vocero
El Vocero
El Vocero is a Puerto Rican newspaper that is published in San Juan.Published since 1974, El Vocero was at first the third of the four largest Puerto Rico newspapers, trailing El Mundo and El Nuevo Día and leading The San Juan Star in sales...
newspaper.
Biography
Laguerre studied at various universities, obtaining degrees in arts from the University of Puerto RicoUniversity of Puerto Rico
The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...
and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
In 1924, he took courses on teaching in rural areas in the town of Aguadilla. The courses where taught by Carmen Gómez Tejera. After this he taught from 1924 to 1988, both at the elementary school and university levels.
Laguerre was known to use the pen-names of Tristan Ronda, Luis Urayoan, Motial and Alberto Prado, among others. Married for many years to the well-respected writer Luz V. Romero Garcia, he also worked in many Puerto Rican publications before joining the staff of El Vocero
El Vocero
El Vocero is a Puerto Rican newspaper that is published in San Juan.Published since 1974, El Vocero was at first the third of the four largest Puerto Rico newspapers, trailing El Mundo and El Nuevo Día and leading The San Juan Star in sales...
.
In 1998, his peers as well as former governors Rafael Hernández Colón
Rafael Hernández Colón
Rafael Hernández Colón is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the fourth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for three non-consecutive terms, from 1973 to 1977 and from 1985 to 1993. An experienced politician, Hernández holds the record for being the youngest Governor of Puerto Rico,...
and Luis A. Ferré
Luis A. Ferré
Don Luis Alberto Ferré Aguayo was a Puerto Rican engineer, industrialist, politician, philanthropist, and a patron of the arts. He was the third Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1969 to 1973, and the founding father of the New Progressive Party which advocates for Puerto Rico...
, advocated for Laguerre to be considered for the Nobel Prize in Literature
Nobel Prize in Literature
Since 1901, the Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded annually to an author from any country who has, in the words from the will of Alfred Nobel, produced "in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction"...
. Despite their efforts, Laguerre was not awarded the prestigious award.
Laguerre was an emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
member of the Center for Advanced Studies on Puerto Rico and the Caribbean
Center for Advanced Studies on Puerto Rico and the Caribbean
The Center for Advanced Studies on Puerto Rico and the Caribbean is a private research institute in Old San Juan, San Juan, Puerto Rico that offers graduate studies in arts and philosophy. It was incorporated on February 28, 1968 by Pablo Casals, Luis Muñoz Marín, Roberto Busó Carrasquillo, and...
.
Enrique Laguerre died on June 16, 2005, at the age of 99. His body was laid to rest on the grounds of the Palacete Los Moreau
Palacete Los Moreau
Palacete Los Moreau is a house museum located in Moca, Puerto Rico. Historically known as the Labadie Mansion, the house inspired Enrique Laguerre to write La Llamarada. The property was restored as a museum and renamed the "Palacete Los Moreau" in honor of Laguerre’s novel...
, an old "hacienda" restored as a museum, in his native town of Moca.
Writings
Laguerre was one of the most prolific novelist of Puerto Rico. Following the steps of Manuel Zeno GandíaManuel Zeno Gandía
Dr. Manuel Zeno Gandía wrote the novel La Charca , which is considered by many to be the first Puerto Rican novel.-Early years:...
, Laguerre most influential work focus on the problems of the colonized society. His novel La Llamarada offers a compressive view of rural Puerto Rico during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. Most of his novels are essential reading of Puerto Rican literature courses.
Works
- La Llamarada (1935)
- Solar Montoya (1941)
- El 30 de Febrero (1942)
- La Resaca (1949)
- Los Dedos de la Mano (1950)
- La Ceiba en el Tiesto (1956)
- El LaberintoEl laberintoEl Laberinto is a 1974 novel by the Argentine writer Manuel Mujica Laínez.It purports to tell the story of Ginés de Silva, the boy shown holding a torch in the lower left-hand corner of El Greco's 1586 painting The Burial of Count Orgaz.This picaresque Bildungsroman presents, a rich and highly...
(1959) - The Laberinto in English The Labyrinth(1960)
- Cauce sin Rio: Diario de mi Generacion (1962)
- El Fuego y su Aire (1970)
- Los Amos Benevolos (1976)
- Los Amos Benevolos in English The Benevolent Masters 1986
- Infiernos Privados (1986)
- Por Boca de Cracoles (1990)
- Los Gemelos (1992)
- Proa Libre Sobre Mar Gruesa (1995)
- Contrapunto de Soledades (1999)
Ensayos y Teatro
- La Resentida (1949)
- Antologia de Cuentos Puertorriqueños (1954)
- Pulso de Puerto Rico (1956)
- Enrique Laguerre Habla Sobre Nuestras Bibliotecas (1959)
- Obras Completas (1962)
- La Responsabilidad de un Profesor Universitario (1963)
- El Jibaro de Puerto Rico: Simbolo y Figura (1968)
- La Poesia Modernista en Puerto Rico (1969)
- Polos de la Cultura Iberoamericana (1977)
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- French immigration to Puerto RicoFrench immigration to Puerto RicoThe French immigration to Puerto Rico came about as a result of the economic and political situations which occurred in various places such as Louisiana , Saint-Domingue and in Europe....
- List of Puerto Rican writers
- Puerto Rican literature