Gioconda Belli

Infobox Writer
name = Gioconda Belli


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caption = Belli at the 3rd annual International Poetry Festival in Granada, Nicaragua
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birthdate = December 9, 1948
birthplace = Managua, Nicaragua
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occupation = Poet, author, novelist
nationality = Nicaraguan
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Gioconda Belli (born December 9,1948 in Managua, Nicaragua) is an author, novelist and renowned Nicaraguan poet. She was designated among the 100 most important poets during the 20th century [ [http://www.nicaragua.com/literature/ Nicaragua.com - Literature - Nicaragua ] ] [ [http://www.gonomad.com/market/0301/nicaraguaguide.html Excerpt: Moon guide to Nicaragua ] ]

Early life

Gioconda Belli, of Northern Italian decent, [cite news | first=Donna | last=Seaman | title=Gioconda Belli's life as a Sandinista rebel | url =http://www.arlindo-correia.com/020303.html | work =Chicago Tribune | accessdate = 2007-11-21] was an active participant in the Sandinista struggle against the Somoza dictatorship, [http://www.twbookmark.com/authors/36/1125/index.html] and her work for the movement led to her being forced into exile in Mexico in 1975. [ [http://www.envio.org.ni/articulo/3136 Revista Envío - Women, Poetry, New Nicaraguan Culture ] ] Returning in 1979 after the Sandinista victory, [ [http://www.arlindo-correia.com/020303.html Gioconda Belli ] ] in 1982 she became FSLN's international press liaison, the director of State Communications in 1984, and was responsible among other things for a major literacy campaign. During that time she met Charles Castaldi, an American NPR journalist, whom she married in 1987. [ [http://www.criticasmagazine.com/article/CA6383045.html Gioconda Belli —The Queen of Hearts - 11/15/2006 - Criticas] ] She has been living in both Managua and Los Angeles since 1990. She has now turned against FSLN, and is a major critic of the current government.

Education and Kids

Belli graduated from the Royal School of Santa Isabel in Madrid, Spain in 1964 and received a diploma in advertising and journalism from the Charles Morris Price School in Philadelphia in 1965. She also studied advertising management at INCAE [ [http://www.giocondabelli.com/biografia-ingles.htm Gioconda Belli - Páginas interiores ] ] .Belli has two daughters from her first marriage, Maryam and Melissa, and a son from her second marriage, Camilo. She also later adopted a young child from an orphanage in Nicaragua with her current husband, movie producer Charles Castaldi, who they named Adriana. She is 14 years old.

Recognition

In 1988, Belli's book "La Mujer Habitada" (The Inhabited Woman), a semi-autobiographical novel that raised gender issues for the first time in the Nicaraguan revolutionary narratives, brought her increased attention. In 2000, she published her autobiography, emphasizing her involvement in the revolutionary movement, "El país bajo mi piel," published under the name "The Country Under My Skin" in the United States; it was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in 2003. [cite news | title=REVOLUTION: A User's Manual | url =http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/pep/pepdesc.cfm?id=1973 | work =The New York Public Library | accessdate = 2008-02-13] Belli continues publishing and maintains that poetry is her most important work. Belli was the recipient of the Premio de Poesía Mariano Fiallos Gil in 1972 [ [http://www.los-poetas.com/n/biobelli.htm Biografia de Gioconda Belli] ] and of the prestigious Premio Casa de las Américas in 1978. [ [http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/gioconda_belli/profile.html Gioconda Belli Profile] ] . In 2008 Belli received the Biblioteca Breve Award for her book "El infinito en la palma de la mano" (Infinity in the Palm of Her Hand), allegory about Adam and Eve in paradise. [cite news | title=Nicaragua: Gioconda Belli's Recent Work | url =http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B6EC02980-CE1C-4A06-AF2B-E180DB003023%7D)&language=EN | work =Prensa Latina | accessdate = 2008-04-05]

Belli's books have been published in numerous languages.

Awards

* XXVIII "City of Melilla" International Poetry Award.
* "Mariano Fiallos Gil de Poesía" award, Nicaragua 1972.
* "Casa de las Americas" award, Cuba, Poesía 1978.
* Award of the "Fundación de Libreros, Bibliotecarios" and "Editores Alemanes de la Fundación Friederich Ebhert" in 1989 for "La Mujer Habitada", the "best political novel of the year"
* "Anna Seghers de la Academia de Artes de Alemania" award, 1989.
* "Luchs del Semanario Die Zeit a su libro" award for "El Taller de las Mariposas", 1992.
* Medal of recognition of the National Theater of Nicaragua for 25 years of cultural labor.
* "Internacional de Poesía Generación del 27" award, 2002
* "Pluma de Plata" award, Bilbao, 2005.
* "Biblioteca Breve Award", 2008.

Published work

*"Verse Sobre la grama" (1972)
*"Línea de fuego" (1978)
*"Truenos y arco iris" (1982)
*"Amor insurrecto" (1985)
*"De la costilla de Eva" (1987)
*"La mujer habitada" (1988)
*"Poesía reunida" (1989)
*"Sofía de las presagios" (1990)
*"El ojo de la mujer" (1991)
*"Sortilegio contra el frío" (1992)
*"El taller de las mariposas" (1994)
*"Waslala" (1996)
*"El país bajo mi piel" (2001)
*"El pergamino de la seducción" (2005)
*"El infinito en la palma de la mano" (2008)

References

External links

* [http://www.giocondabelli.com/ Gioconda Belli's] Official website
* [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article876220.ece The Times Online review] Gioconda Belli's 'El país bajo mi piel'
* [http://www.literalmagazine.com/pdf/L1.pdf#page=31 LiteralMagazine.com] Poetry and an interview with Belli
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNDNB5A6SjA Belli on YouTube] reading "Cargo Cerado" at the Memoria del Festival Internacional de Poesía in Medellín,
* [http://www.dariana.com/N-audio4.html Poem "Yo, la que te quiere" set to music]