Contents
Carlos Fuentes
Writing The Death of Artemio Cruz and helping lead the Latin American literary Boom.
Where the Air Is Clear · The Death of Artemio Cruz
- Born
- 11 November 1928
- Birthplace
- Panama City, Panama
- Died
- 15 May 2012
More people
Carlos Fuentes
Mexican novelist and essayist whose fiction examines power, memory and the competing histories of Mexico.
Early life
A diplomatic childhood
His father’s diplomatic postings took the family across the Americas.
Legal studies
Studied law in Mexico and pursued further studies in Geneva before entering diplomatic and literary work.
Career
- 1950s
Literary beginnings
Combined public service with fiction and helped found a literary magazine.
- 1960s–1970s
International recognition
Became a central figure in the Latin American Boom and served as ambassador to France.
- 1980s–2012
Novels and essays
Continued writing and teaching internationally, receiving the Cervantes Prize in 1987.
Selected work
Where the Air Is Clear
A portrait of social divisions in Mexico City.
The Death of Artemio Cruz
A dying powerful man revisits the compromises behind his success.
Terra Nostra
A vast historical novel connecting Spain and the Americas.
Beyond work
Public debate
Commented regularly on Mexican politics and international affairs.
Family and loss
The deaths of two of his children shaped his later personal writing.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and references ↗Biography and contributions ↗Photo: Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
