Alison Spedding facts for kids

Alison Louise Spedding (born on January 22, 1962) is a talented British anthropologist and a writer of fantasy stories. She is also known by the name Alison Spedding Pallet.

Who is Alison Spedding?

Alison Spedding grew up in Maidenhead and Reading in the United Kingdom. She went to King's College, Cambridge, a famous university, where she studied archaeology (the study of old things and ancient cultures) and anthropology (the study of human societies and cultures). She also studied philosophy. Later, she earned her PhD from the London School of Economics.

Her Exciting Fantasy Books

Alison Spedding is well-known for her fantasy novels. She wrote a series of three books called A Walk in the Dark. These stories are set a long, long time ago, around the time of a famous historical figure named Alexander the Great. In her books, Alexander dies, and a brave female character named Aleizon Ailix Ayndra takes on the challenge of fulfilling his destiny. It's an exciting adventure!

Alison Spedding's Life in Bolivia

In 1988, Alison Spedding moved to Bolivia, a country in South America. She made it her permanent home in 1989. She became a professor at the Higher University of San Andrés in La Paz, a big city in Bolivia. She learned to speak Spanish and Aymara, which are important languages in Bolivia.

Writing About Bolivian Culture

Alison Spedding wrote an important academic book in 1994 called Wachu Wachu. Cultivo de coca e identidad en los Yungas de la Paz. This book explored the culture and identity of farmers who grow coca plants in a region of Bolivia called Yungas.

She also wrote creative stories. In 1994, she published a collection of short stories called El tiempo, la distancia, otros amantes. Later, in 1997, she wrote a novel in Spanish titled Manuel y Fortunato. Una picaresca andina.

Standing Up for Farmers

Alison Spedding became a strong voice for peasant coca farmers in Bolivia. She spoke out against government actions that affected these farmers. Because of her strong opinions and activism, she faced some difficulties. Many academics believed these challenges were related to her political views and worked to support her. She was released in 2000, and the situation was resolved.

More Books and Plays

After this, Alison Spedding continued to write many more books in Spanish. These include El viento de la cordillera (published in 2001) and a science fiction novel with a unique perspective called De cuando en cuando Saturnina (from 2004). Her book Catre de fierro came out in 2015.

She also wrote a play called Un gato en el tejar, which was published under a different name, Alicia Céspedes Ballet. Besides her creative writing, she continued to publish important academic works, such as Kausachun-Coca (2004) and Religión en los Andes: Extirpación de idolatrías y modernidad de la fe andina (2008).

As of 2022, Alison Spedding still lives in Bolivia. She is an active member of a group that supports coca farmers and continues to teach at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés.

See also

In Spanish: Alison Spedding para niños