Oscar Hijuelos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oscar Jerome Hijuelos
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| Born | August 24, 1951 New York City, United States |
| Died | October 12, 2013 (aged 62) New York City, United States |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | B.A.; M.A. English |
| Alma mater | City College of New York |
| Period | 1983–2013 |
| Genre | Cuban/American, Latino: fiction and memoirs |
| Notable works | The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love (1989) |
| Notable awards | Rome Prize (American Academy in Rome) (1985) - Pulitzer Prize (1990) - Hispanic Heritage Award for Literature (2000) |
| Spouse | Lori Marie Carlson |
Oscar Jerome Hijuelos (born August 24, 1951 – died October 12, 2013) was an American writer. He wrote many novels. He was the first Hispanic person to win a special award called the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Oscar Hijuelos was born in New York City. His parents were Cuban immigrants. This means they moved to the United States from Cuba.
He went to school in New York. He studied writing at the City College of New York. He earned two degrees there. He got his first degree in 1975 and his second in 1976. Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked at different jobs.
Writing Career Highlights
Oscar Hijuelos published his first novel in 1983. It was called Our House in the Last World. This book won the Rome Prize in 1985. This award comes from the American Academy in Rome.
His second novel became very famous. It was called The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love. This book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1990. The Pulitzer Prize is one of the highest awards for writers in the United States.
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love was made into a movie in 1992. The movie was called The Mambo Kings. Later, in 2005, it also became a Broadway musical.
Teaching and Later Life
Oscar Hijuelos also taught writing. He was a teacher at Hofstra University. He also taught in the English Department at Duke University.
He passed away on October 12, 2013, in Manhattan. He was 62 years old. He was playing tennis when he had a heart attack. He is remembered for his important contributions to American literature.
Major Works
- Our House in the Last World (1983)
- The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love (1990)
- The Fourteen Sisters of Emilio Montez O'Brien (1993)
- Mr. Ives' Christmas (1995)
- Empress of the Splendid Season (1999)
- A Simple Habana Melody (from when the world was good) (2002)
- Dark Dude (2008)
- Beautiful Maria of my Soul (2010)
See also
In Spanish: Oscar Hijuelos para niños
