Isabel Allende Biography

Chilean-American writer Isabel Allende is the prolific author of twenty books which have been translated into numerous languages and sold over 65 million copies. Her career has spanned three decades. In addition to writing novels, she has written short fiction, plays, and stories for children, as well as authored numerous articles in magazines and journals. She began her writing career as a journalist but became renowned after the publication of her first novel. Two of her novels have been made into feature films, with options to film three others in the works. Allende has been a highly influential voice in Latin American literature, often providing an important feminine perspective on the world. Her writing is generally characterized as "magical realism," a genre that combines realistic writing with surprising elements of magic and fantasy. Her work is sometimes compared to the work of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a famous Colombian novelist known for his work in the magical realist genre. However, her voice is also considered distinct, with a style that blends concern for the inner, personal lives of her characters and their physical and political contexts. Her own exile from Chile has informed much of her writing through the years.