Fernando del Paso
Encyclopedia
Fernando del Paso Morante (born April 1, 1935) is a Mexican
novelist, essayist and poet.
Del Paso was born in Mexico City
and took two years in economics at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
. He lived in London
for 14 years, where he worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation and in France
, where he worked for Radio France Internationale
and briefly served as general consul of Mexico.
He has been a member of Colegio Nacional de México since 1996 and has won several international awards, including the 2007 FIL Literature Prize (Guadalajara International Book Fair
), the 1982 Rómulo Gallegos Prize
, the 1985 Best Novel Published in France Award (for Palinurus of Mexico), the 1966 Xavier Villaurrutia Award
and the 1976 Mexico Novel Award.
Noticias del Imperio (1986) is an important contribution to the Latin American new historical novel. The novel, based upon the lives of Maximilian
and Carlota
and French Intervention in Mexico, is called by the author a "historiographic" novel. This encyclopedic novel is remarkable in that, instead of trying to discover the "truth" about "what really happened," the author presents a number of possible versions of important and controversial events.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
novelist, essayist and poet.
Del Paso was born in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
and took two years in economics at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
National Autonomous University of Mexico
The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is a university in Mexico. UNAM was founded on 22 September 1910 by Justo Sierra as a liberal alternative to the Roman Catholic-sponsored Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) (National Autonomous...
. He lived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for 14 years, where he worked for the British Broadcasting Corporation and in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where he worked for Radio France Internationale
Radio France
Radio France is a French public service radio broadcaster.-Mission:Radio France's two principal missions are:* To create and expand the programming on all of their stations; and...
and briefly served as general consul of Mexico.
He has been a member of Colegio Nacional de México since 1996 and has won several international awards, including the 2007 FIL Literature Prize (Guadalajara International Book Fair
Guadalajara International Book Fair
The Guadalajara International Book Fair, better known as the FIL is the most important annual event of its kind in the Spanish-speaking world, and the second largest book fair in the world after Frankfurt's. Created in 1987, the FIL is put on by the University of Guadalajara...
), the 1982 Rómulo Gallegos Prize
Rómulo Gallegos Prize
The Rómulo Gallegos International Novel Prize was created on 6 August 1964 by a presidential decree enacted by Venezuelan President Raúl Leoni, in honor of the Venezuelan politician and President Rómulo Gallegos, the author of Doña Bárbara....
, the 1985 Best Novel Published in France Award (for Palinurus of Mexico), the 1966 Xavier Villaurrutia Award
Xavier Villaurrutia Award
The Xavier Villaurrutia Award is a prestigious literary prize given in Mexico, to a Latin American writer published in Mexico. Founded in 1955, it was named in memory of Xavier Villaurrutia....
and the 1976 Mexico Novel Award.
Noticias del Imperio (1986) is an important contribution to the Latin American new historical novel. The novel, based upon the lives of Maximilian
Maximilian I of Mexico
Maximilian I was the only monarch of the Second Mexican Empire.After a distinguished career in the Austrian Navy, he was proclaimed Emperor of Mexico on April 10, 1864, with the backing of Napoleon III of France and a group of Mexican monarchists who sought to revive the Mexican monarchy...
and Carlota
Charlotte of Belgium
Charlotte of Belgium is remembered today as Carlota of Mexico as empress consort of Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico, ex-Archduke of Austria.-Princess of Belgium:The only daughter of Leopold I, King of the Belgians by his second wife,...
and French Intervention in Mexico, is called by the author a "historiographic" novel. This encyclopedic novel is remarkable in that, instead of trying to discover the "truth" about "what really happened," the author presents a number of possible versions of important and controversial events.
Selected works
- Palinuro de México (translated as "Palinurus of Mexico", 1976)
- José Trigo (novel, 1966)
- Sonetos del amor y de lo diario (poetry, 1958)
- Noticias del Imperio (novel, 1986)
- Linda 67: Historia de un crimen (novel, 1995)
- Douceur & passion cuisine mexicaine (París, 1991).
Library and Media Center
On May 14, 2007 the Universidad de Guadalajara (State University) paid homage to Fernando del Paso by naming the library and media center in Ocotlán, Jalisco the "Biblioteca Fernando del Paso". This library is the largest in the western region of Mexico with a collection of 120,000 volumes and a capacity for 800 simultaneous users.External links
- Fernando del Paso (El Colegio Nacional)
- Library and Media Center Fernando del Paso