José Manuel Caballero Bonald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José Manuel Caballero Bonald
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Caballero Bonald in 2012
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| Born | November 11, 1926 Calle Caballeros, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain |
| Died | May 9, 2021 (aged 94) Madrid, Spain |
| Occupation | Novelist, lecturer and poet |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Education | Marianistas de Jerez School |
| Literary movement | Generation of 1950 |
| Notable works | Narrativa Cubana de la Revolución |
| Notable awards | Favourite Son of Andalucía |
| Relatives | Plácido Caballero, Julia Bonald |
José Manuel Caballero Bonald (born November 11, 1926 – died May 9, 2021) was an important Spanish writer. He was known as a novelist, a lecturer, and a poet. He won many awards for his writing, including the famous Miguel de Cervantes Prize.
Contents
Early Life and Family
José Manuel Caballero Bonald was born in Jerez de la Frontera, a city in Spain. His father, Plácido Caballero, was from Cuba. His mother, Julia Bonald, came from a French family that had moved to Spain in the 1800s.
School Days and Early Writings
José Manuel went to the Marianistas de Jerez School from 1936 to 1943. During this time, Spain was going through the Spanish Civil War. He spent some time away from home in the countryside. It was then that he started reading books that would inspire him. He enjoyed stories by authors like Jack London and Robert Louis Stevenson.
From 1944 to 1948, he studied nautical subjects in Cadiz. This is when he began writing his first poems. He also made friends with other young writers who worked on a local magazine called Platero. He even spent two summers sailing around the Canary Islands and Morocco during his military service. However, he got sick and had to return home to get better.
Later, from 1949 to 1952, he studied philosophy and literature in Seville. He continued his literature studies in Madrid.
A Writer's Journey
Around 1954, José Manuel Caballero Bonald worked for a magazine called Papeles de Son Armadans.
Joining the Generation of 1950
In 1959, he became friends with a group of poets who would later be known as the Generation of 1950. This group of writers shared similar ideas. They were often against the strict government of Francisco Franco at that time.
He traveled to Bogotá, Colombia, where he taught Spanish literature. There, he met other important writers like Gabriel García Márquez.
Challenges and Important Works
In 1963, he faced problems with the government because of his political views. He was arrested and had to pay a fine. He then returned to Spain and worked in publishing.
Between 1965 and 1968, he spent time in Cuba. In 1968, he published a book called Narrativa Cubana de la Revolución (Cuban Narrative of the Revolution). Because of his political activities, he was arrested again and spent a month in jail.
From 1971 to 1975, he worked for the Royal Spanish Academy, which is very important for the Spanish language. He also taught about writing at different universities in Europe.
He taught Spanish literature at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, United States, from 1974 to 1978. He also became the president of the PEN Club Español, a group for writers.
Later Years and Recognition
José Manuel Caballero Bonald continued to travel and write. In 1989, a high school in Jerez was named after him. A public library in Marbella was also named in his honor in 1992.
He received many awards and honors throughout his life. In 1997, he was given the title of Favourite Son of Andalucía, a special honor from his home region. In 2004, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Cádiz.
In 2012, he won the most important award in Spanish literature, the Miguel de Cervantes Prize. This award recognized all his amazing work over his lifetime.
His childhood home in Jerez is now a foundation dedicated to his work. José Manuel Caballero Bonald passed away in Madrid on May 9, 2021, at the age of 94.
Awards and Honors
- Platero Poetry Award - Mendigo (1950)
- Adonais Prize for Poetry (runner-up) - Las Adivinaciones (1951)
- Boscán Award - Las Horas Muertas (1959)
- Critics' Prize - Las Horas Muertas (1959)
- Premio Biblioteca Breve - Dos Días de Setiembre (1961)
- National Album Award - Archivo del Cante Flamenco (1969)
- Critics' Prize - Ágata Ojo de Gato (1975)
- 'Pablo Iglesias' Literatura Award - Poesía, 1951-1977 (1977)
- Critics' Prize - Descrédito del Héroe (1978)
- Ateneo de Sevilla Prize - Toda la Noche Oyeron pasar Pájaros (1981)
- Plaza y Janés Award - En La Casa del Padre (1988)
- Andalucía Literature Award - Campo de Agramante (1993)
- Queen Sofia Award for Latin American Poetry (2004)
- Spanish Literature National Prize (2005)
- Miguel de Cervantes Prize (2012) - for his lifetime work in Spanish literature.
Images for kids
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Caballero Bonald in 2012
See also
In Spanish: José Manuel Caballero Bonald para niños
