María Kodama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
María Kodama
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Kodama in 2013
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María Kodama Schweizer
10 March 1937 Buenos Aires, Argentina
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| Died | 26 March 2023 (aged 86) Vicente López, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina
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| Occupation | Writer, translator |
María Kodama Schweizer (born March 10, 1937 – died March 26, 2023) was an important Argentine writer and translator. She was married to the famous author Jorge Luis Borges. After he passed away in 1986, she became the sole owner of his literary works and belongings. Borges had given her the rights to his books in 1979 when she was his secretary. Later, in 1985, he left her everything he owned. They got married in 1986, shortly before Borges died.
Contents
About María Kodama
María Kodama was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her mother was from Argentina with Swiss-German, English, and Spanish family roots. Her father was Japanese.
Meeting Jorge Luis Borges
María met Jorge Luis Borges when she was a student. She attended one of his lectures in Buenos Aires about Icelandic literature. This meeting was the start of their special connection.
Working with Borges
After Borges's mother passed away in 1975, María became his literary secretary. Borges had lived with his mother his whole life. María helped Borges, who was blind, on his many trips around the world. He received many invitations from different places.
She helped him write because he could not see. They worked together on several books. These included Breve antología anglosajona (1978) and Atlas (1984). Atlas was a book about their travels together. She also helped translate the Younger Edda by Snorri Sturluson.
Marriage and Legacy
María Kodama and Jorge Luis Borges got married in Paraguay on April 26, 1986. At that time, it was common for Argentines to marry in Paraguay to avoid strict divorce rules in their own country. Borges was very ill with cancer when they married. He passed away in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 14, 1986.
After Borges's death, María Kodama became the president of the Fundación Internacional Jorge Luis Borges. She started this foundation in Buenos Aires in 1988. Its goal is to preserve and promote Borges's works. She also managed the rights for his books. She worked to make sure his writings continued to be available to readers worldwide.
María Kodama passed away on March 26, 2023, at the age of 86. She died in Vicente López, Greater Buenos Aires.
See also
In Spanish: María Kodama para niños
