Abelardo Díaz Alfaro

Infobox writer
name = Abelardo Díaz Alfaro


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birthdate = 1916
birthplace = Caguas, Puerto Rico
deathdate = July 22, 1999
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nationality = Puerto Rican
period = 1940s
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notableworks = "Campo Alegre"
spouse = Gladys Meaux
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Abelardo Díaz Alfaro (1916 - July 22, 1999) 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.

Life and career

Alfaro was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico, 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.

Diaz Alfaro obtained a Bachelor's degree in Arts at the "Instituto Politécnico de San German", 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.Fact|date=May 2007

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.

Among the books he wrote are:

*Terrazo (published in 1947)
*Mi Isla Sonada
*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.

ee also

*List of Puerto Rican writers
*List of famous Puerto Ricans
*Puerto Rican literature