Miguel Donoso Pareja facts for kids

Miguel Donoso Pareja (born July 13, 1931 – died March 16, 2015) was an Ecuadorian writer. He won the Premio Eugenio Espejo award in 2006. This is Ecuador's top prize for literature, given by the President.

About Miguel Donoso Pareja

Miguel Donoso Pareja was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador. His father was Miguel Donoso Moncayo from Quito. His mother was Leonor Pareja Diezcanseco. His uncle, Alfredo Pareja Diezcanseco, was also a famous writer and diplomat.

In 1951, Miguel started meeting other young writers and poets in Guayaquil. He loved discussing books and ideas with them.

Early Career and Challenges

In 1962, Miguel joined a political group. The next year, he worked for a newspaper called El Pueblo (meaning "The People"). This newspaper was linked to the political group.

Soon after, police searched his home. They accused him of serious things, and newspapers printed stories about him. He was released after two days, but his reputation was hurt.

A few weeks later, in July 1963, a new military government took over Ecuador. Miguel had to hide because of his political views. He was later arrested and held in prison for ten months without a trial.

Life in Exile

After his time in prison, Miguel was sent out of Ecuador to Mexico. He had no money and needed help from friends to travel.

In Mexico, Miguel became a teacher. He taught literature and writing at big universities like the National Autonomous University of Mexico. He also wrote for newspapers. From 1976 to 1981, he helped edit a magazine called Cambio ("Change"). He worked with other famous writers like Juan Rulfo.

In 1976, Miguel wrote a novel called Día tras día ("Day After Day"). This book was about his experiences living away from his home country.

Returning Home

In 1981, after almost 18 years, Miguel decided to go back to Ecuador. He left his job and friends in Mexico to return. That same year, he wrote another novel, Nunca más el mar ("Never Again the Sea"). This book was about his journey back home.

In 1985, Miguel received a special grant called a Guggenheim Fellowship. He used the money to travel in Spain and other European countries. When he returned to Ecuador, he wrote 22 short stories about love and loneliness. These stories were published in a book called Lo mismo que el olvido ("Same as Oblivion").

Later, Miguel moved back to Guayaquil for good. He became the president of the Guayas branch of the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana (House of Ecuadorian Culture). Miguel Donoso Pareja passed away on March 16, 2015, at the age of 83. He had been ill with Parkinson's disease for several years.

Family Life

Miguel Donoso Pareja was married twice. His first wife was Judith Gutiérrez Moscoso. They had three children: Leonor (who passed away young), Maria del Carmen, and Miguel Donoso Gutiérrez. His son, Miguel Donoso Gutiérrez, also became a writer and won an award for his short stories. Miguel and Judith divorced in 1967.

In 1979, Miguel married Aralia López González. She was born in Spain and grew up in Cuba. They divorced in 1983.

His Books and Poetry

Miguel Donoso Pareja wrote many different kinds of books, including poetry, short stories, and novels. He also wrote articles about literature and society.

• La Mutación del Hombre (1958), poetry
• Las Raíces del Hombre (1958), poetry
• Krelko y otros cuentos (1962), stories
• Los Invencibles (1963), poetry
• Primera Canción del Exilado (1968), poetry
• El Hombre que mataba a sus hijos (1968), stories
• La Hora del Lobo (1970), articles about literature and movies
• Día tras día (1976), a novel about his time in exile
• Cantos para celebrar una Muerte (1977), poetry
• Nunca más el mar (1981), a novel about returning from exile
• Henry Blak (1983), novel
• Lo mismo que el olvido (1985), stories
• Todo lo que inventamos es cierto (1991), stories
• Hoy empiezo a acordarme (1994), novel
• El Otro lado del Espejo (1996), stories
• La Muerte de Tyrone Power López en el monumental Barcelona (1997), novel
• Ecuador, identidad o esquizofrenia (1998), a booklet about Ecuadorian national identity

See also

In Spanish: Miguel Donoso Pareja para niños