Isabel Allende, a Chilean-American author, is the author of twenty books that have been translated into numerous languages and have sold over 65 million copies. Her professional career spanned three decades. Along with novels, she has written short stories, plays, and children’s stories, as well as numerous articles for magazines and journals. She began her career as a journalist but rose to prominence following the publication of her first novel. Two of her novels have been adapted into feature films, and three more are in development. Allende has been a major voice in Latin American literature, frequently providing a critical female perspective on the world. Her work is generally classified as “magical realism,” a genre that incorporates elements of magic and fantasy into realistic writing. Her work has occasionally been compared to that of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a renowned Colombian novelist best known for his work in the magical realist genre. However, her voice is regarded as distinct, with a style that combines concern for her characters’ inner, personal lives with their physical and political contexts. Her own exile from Chile influenced a great deal of her writing over the years.
Childhood & Adolescence
Isabel Allende Llona was born on August 2, 1942. Her father, Tomas, worked at the Chilean embassy and was President Salvador Allende’s first cousin. Salvador served as Chile’s president for three years.
Allende was the third child in a family of three. When Allende was a small child, she and her mother and siblings moved from Peru to Santiago, Chile in 1945.
Allende’s mother remarried in the 1950s. When she was a teenager, her stepfather, Ramon Huidobro, was appointed Chile’s ambassador to Argentina.
Her family moved frequently as a result of her stepfather’s diplomatic career. Her education consisted of both private and homeschooling.
Career of Isabel
Her career began as a journalist. She was one of the co-founders of the women’s magazine ‘Paula.’ She worked as an editor for a children’s magazine from 1969 to 1973.
She also wrote two children’s stories during this time period.
During the 1960s, she began a decade of work in television journalism and eventually became a television host. While working in television, she interviewed Pablo Neruda, a renowned poet.
Her first book, which was self-published, was a collection of her journalistic articles. She also wrote the screenplay for the 1973 film ‘El Embajador’.
She relocated to Venezuela following Chile’s government coup. She worked in a school there as a journalist and administrator.
Her first novel began as a letter to her ailing, elderly grandfather. In 1982, ‘The House of Spirits’ was published.
Numerous adaptations of her works have been made for film and stage. ‘Of Love and Shadows,’ her 1985 novel, was adapted into a feature film.
She is the author of twenty books. ‘Paula,’ her 1995 book, is a memoir of her childhood and youth in Chile, as well as her exile from the country, as well as a loving homage to her daughter.
In 2008, she published a memoir about her more recent life. ‘The Sum of Our Days’ is the title of the piece. She is regarded as a significant contemporary voice in Latin American literature.
Her work frequently incorporates elements of magical realism, and her writing has been compared to that of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Significant Works Isabel
In 1987, she published the novel ‘Eva Luna,’ which is based on her experiences in Chile and Venezuela. The protagonist of the story lives in an unnamed South American country; several of the tales are included in a later collection of short stories titled ‘The Stories of Eva Luna’.
Awards and Accomplishments
Her debut novel, ‘The House of Spirits,’ was named Chile’s 1983 book of the year. She was a 1987 nominee for the ‘Los Angeles Times Book Prize.’ In the same year, she won Portugal’s ‘Premio Mulheres a la Mejor Novela Extranjera.’
In the United States, she was awarded the ‘Dorothy and Lilian Gish Prize’ in 1998. This award is given annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to ‘the beauty of the world’ and our understanding of it.
In 2014, Allende was awarded the ‘Presidential Medal of Freedom.’ President Barack Obama presented it to her.
Personal History and Legacies
In 1962, she met and married Miguel Frias in Chile. Paula and Nicolas were the couple’s two children. When Chile’s Pinochet took power in 1973, she faced threats and was forced to flee the country. That was her reason for relocating to Venezuela.
In 1988, while on a visit to the United States, she met and married her second husband, Willie Gordon. She eventually relocated to the United States and now resides in California, close to her son and grandchildren.
Paula, her daughter, died at the age of 29. She was diagnosed with porphyria and was in a coma for several days prior to her death due to the adverse effects of incorrect medication.
In 1998, Allende established the ‘Isabel Allende Foundation’ in memory of her daughter Paula, who had worked in impoverished communities as a humanitarian. The foundation funds programs that advance women’s and children’s rights.
Estimated Net Worth
Isabel Allende net worth: Isabel Allende is a Chilean author with a $12 million net worth. Isabel Allende was born in August 1942 in Lima, Peru.
Her first novel, The House of the Spirits, was published in 1982, followed by The Porcelain Fat Lady in 1984, Of Love and Shadows in 1985, Eva Luna in 1987, Two Words in 1989, Eva Luna: The Stories in 1989, The Infinite Plan in 1991, Daughter of Fortune in 1999, Portrait in Sepia in 2000, City of the Beasts in 2002, Kingdom of the Golden Dragon in 2004, Zorro in 2005, Forest of the Pygmies in 2005, Ines of
Trivia
Although she has an international reputation for her writing, this renowned author has stated that her books are not her greatest accomplishments. She prioritizes her family and her time spent assisting others.