Carlos Fuentes Is One of Those Rare Writers Who, by the Sheer Power of Literary Art, Has

Carlos Fuentes is one of those rare writers who, by the sheer power of literary art, has defined the cultural, emotional, and hereditary identity of an entire continent.

A novelist, essayist, scholar and diplomat, he is recognized worldwide as one of the greatest literary and political figures of the Spanish-speaking world.

Fuentes’ novels (including the classics Terra Nostra,The Death of Artemio Cruz and the New York Times bestseller, The Old Gringo) look deeply into the identity of Latin America, its internal conflicts with its triplicate lineage (Native American, African, and Spanish) and its contentious relationship with the superpower to the north.
In his essays and nonfiction work (including The Buried Mirror, which was made into a TV series for the Discovery Channel), he seeks to reclaim that identity and celebrate the rich contributions of Hispanic culture. Says Fuentes, “Culture is the product of many races and many traditions. We are all descendants of Greeks and Romans, Arabs and Jews. We must examine those roots to discover who we are today.”

The scope and power of his work is undeniable. He was the leading figure of Latin America’s literary “boom” of the 1960’s and 70’s and has garnered some of the most prestigious literary awards in the world, including: the National Prize in Literature, Mexico’s greatest literary award; and the Miguel de Cervantes Prize, the highest honor for a Spanish-language writer. He also was awarded France’s Legion of Honor (regarded internationally as the highest honor given to civilians) and was the first ever recipient of the Latin Civilization Award, presented by the Presidents of Brazil, Mexico and France.

Free of ideology and party lines, Fuentes is an independent political voice with an instinct for social justice. The son of a Mexican diplomat, he spent most of his childhood in Washington, D.C. After earning his law degree, he served as a government official in many capacities, including Director of International Cultural Relations for Mexico’s Ministry of Exterior Relations and the Mexican Ambassador to France.

Fuentes inaugurated the Robert F. Kennedy Chair in Latin American Studies at Harvard and was the Simon Bolivar Professor at Cambridge. He has been a visiting professor at Princeton and is currently Professor at Large at Brown University.

Fuentes is often asked to do readings from his works. The Old Gringo (the first ever U.S. bestseller by a Mexican author) was made into a film starring Jane Fonda and Gregory Peck. His more recent books include Inez,The Years With Laura Diaz and his latest novel, The Eagle’s Throne. His next book is In This I Believe, an A to Z essay on his personal convictions.