Enrique Gil Gilbert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Enrique Gil Gilbert
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| Born | July 8, 1912 Guayaquil, Ecuador |
| Died | 21 February 1973 (aged 60) Guayaquil, Ecuador |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | Ecuadorian |
| Genre | Social Realism |
| Notable works | Nuestro Pan (Our Daily Bread) (1942), Yunga (1933), Relatos de Emanuel (1939) |
| Spouse | Alba Calderón |
Enrique Gil Gilbert (born July 8, 1912 – died February 21, 1973) was an important writer from Ecuador. He wrote novels, worked as a journalist, and wrote poems. He was also a member of a political group that believed in socialist ideas.
Gil Gilbert was born and passed away in the city of Guayaquil, which is on the coast. He was the youngest member of a famous writing group called the Guayaquil Group. This group was one of the most well-known literary and intellectual groups in Ecuador during the 1930s and 1940s.
His most famous novel is Nuestro Pan (which means Our Daily Bread). It was published in 1942. This book was so popular that it was translated into many languages, including English, German, Japanese, and Czech. It even received a special award in a Latin-American novel competition.
The Guayaquil Group
Many experts agree that the Guayaquil Group became famous after they published a book called Los que se van, cuentos del cholo y del motuvio in 1930. This book, which means "The Vanishing Ones. Stories about the Cholo and the Montuvio," was a collection of 34 short stories. It was written by Demetrio Aguilera Malta, Joaquín Gallegos Lara, and Enrique Gil Gilbert.
The stories in this book were about the lives of farmers and people living on the coast of Ecuador. This was a new kind of writing in Ecuador. Before this, most books were about romantic stories or modern ideas. The Guayaquil Group focused on showing real life and social issues.
Other important members of this group included:
- Demetrio Aguilera Malta
- Alfredo Pareja Diezcanseco
- Joaquín Gallegos Lara
- José de la Cuadra
Their writing style often showed problems in society, especially unfair social and economic situations. They wrote about everyday people and popular culture. They also explored ideas about human behavior and sometimes used a very strong, almost strange, way of looking at the world. They were also interested in the history and culture of native people. The Guayaquil Group is seen as a group that helped start a style of writing called magical realism.
Challenges in Life
Enrique Gil Gilbert was a member of a political group that believed in socialist ideas. Because of his strong beliefs, he faced many difficulties. In 1935, when a leader named Federico Paez was in charge, Gil Gilbert lost his job as a teacher at the Rocafuerte School in Guayaquil.
Later, in 1963, during a time when the military was in charge of Ecuador, Gil Gilbert was put in prison for fifteen months. While he was in prison, his home was searched by police. His wife, Alba Calderón, had to leave the country and go to Chile to be safe, and his children had to hide. Many of his important papers and books were burned, including a finished book that was not yet published and other unfinished writings. This meant that many of his works were lost forever.
When he was finally released from prison, he had lost his home, his family was scattered, and he had no money.
Family Life
Enrique Gil Gilbert was married to Alba Calderón. She was a talented painter, a strong supporter of women's rights, and a revolutionary. She even started a movement to help women gain more recognition in Ecuador.
Enrique and Alba had two sons. One son, Enrique Gil Calderón, became a director of choirs. Their other son, Antonio Gil Calderon, became a doctor and a businessman.
His Books
Enrique Gil Gilbert wrote several books, including novels and short stories.
- Novels
- Nuestro pan (Guayaquil, 1942) - This book was translated into English as Our Daily Bread in 1943.
- Short Stories
- Los que se van (Guayaquil, 1930)
- Yunga (Guayaquil, 1933)
- Relatos de Emanuel (Guayaquil, 1939)
- La cabeza de un niño en un tacho de basura (Guayaquil, 1967)
- Anthologies (Collections of stories by different authors, including his)
- El nuevo relato ecuatoriano (Quito, 1951)
- Antología del cuento hispanoamericano contenporáneo (1958)
- El cuento hispanoamericano (México, 1964)
- Antología del relato ecuatoriano (Quito, 1973)
- Cuento de la generación de los 30 (Guayaquil, s.f)
- Así en la tierra como en los sueños (Quito, 1991)
- Cuento contigo (Guayaquil, 1993)
- Antología básica del cuento ecuatoriano (Quito, 1998)
See also
In Spanish: Enrique Gil Gilbert para niños
