Daniel Riquelme facts for kids
Daniel Riquelme García (born in Santiago, Chile, in 1857 – died in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1912) was a well-known Chilean writer and journalist. He was also a chronicler, meaning he wrote detailed reports about events and people of his time.
His Life Story
Daniel Riquelme was the son of Jose Riquelme Orozco, who was Chile's first stenographer (someone who writes in shorthand). His mother, Bruna Garcia Venegas, was a music teacher. Daniel was the younger brother of Ernesto Riquelme.
In 1865, his father passed away. His mother then took charge of his education. Daniel studied at the National Institute of Santiago. Later, he began studying law at the University of Chile, but he decided not to finish his studies.
He started his writing career by contributing to different magazines in Santiago. Soon, he focused entirely on journalism. In 1876, he began working for the government. He was an official in the Ministry of Finance under President Aníbal Pinto.
While working for the government, Daniel joined a group of civilians who went with the Chilean Army during the War of the Pacific. He used his time at the war front to work as a reporter for El Heraldo, a newspaper from Valparaiso. This newspaper published his articles from November 1880 to June 1881.
In 1885, he published a book called Military Chascarillos, which means Military Jokes. This book shared his experiences from the war front. It included stories about jokes, table manners, and other interesting events. This book was later improved and republished in 1888 as Under the Tent, which became his most famous work.
From 1887 to 1891, Riquelme wrote many stories, chronicles, and articles. He often used the pseudonym (a pen name) Innocent Conchalí. This is how many people knew him. During this time, he wrote about the lively city life of Santiago in the late 1800s. He especially focused on areas like Orphans, Merced, and Recoleta streets, where he spent a lot of his life. His writing style mixed new modern ideas with local Chilean sayings and metaphors. This helped shape Chilean writing in the 19th century and influenced later writers.
After President José Manuel Balmaceda's government ended, Riquelme continued to write. However, he changed his writing style. He started focusing on historical events instead of lighthearted stories. He continued this work during his years at El Mercurio newspaper in Santiago until 1911.
Daniel Riquelme became sick and traveled to Paris, then moved to Switzerland. He passed away in Lausanne in 1912. His resting place was there for some time, but its exact location is not known today.
His Works
Besides his writings about the War of the Pacific, Daniel Riquelme also wrote about the political and social life in Santiago during the late 1800s. He did this through articles about local traditions, daily news reports, and various short stories. In his later years as a writer, he focused a lot on history. He even suggested new ways to understand some of Chile's most important historical accounts.
Here are some of his notable works:
- Military Chascarillos (1885)
- Under The Tent (1888)
- The Revolution of April 20, 1851 (1893)
- The Church of the Company Fire: December 8, 1863 (1893)
- Compendium of the History of Chile (1899)
- The earthquake Mr. May (1905)
See also
In Spanish: Daniel Riquelme para niños
- Chilean literature
