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{{short description|Puerto Rican writer (1916–1999)}}

'''Abelardo Díaz Alfaro''' ([[1916]] - [[July 22]], [[1999]]) was a [[Puerto Rican]] author who reached great fame throughout [[Latin America]] during the [[1940s]]. Some say his actual year of birth was [[1919]], but officially it was always announced as 1916.

{{use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}

{{Infobox writer

[[es:| name = Abelardo Milton Díaz Alfaro]]

| image =

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| pseudonym =

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| birth_date = July 24, 1916

| birth_place = [[Caguas, Puerto Rico]]

| death_date = {{death date and age|1999|07|22|1916|07|24}}

| death_place = [[Guaynabo, Puerto Rico]]

Alfaro was born in [[Caguas, Puerto Rico]], but soon after, his family moved to [[Ponce, Puerto Rico|Ponce]]. He returned to Caguas to attend University and got married to [[Gladys Meaux]], with whom he had 2 daughters and one son.

| occupation = Author

| nationality = Puerto Rico

| period = 1940s

| genre = Comedy, Romance

| subject =

| movement =

| notableworks = ''Campo Alegre'', "Terrazo"

| spouse = [[Gladys Meaux]]

| partner =

| children = His children's name are Abelardo, Dalila and Nanette

| relatives =His father Don Abelardo Diaz Morales was a baptist minister. His mother, Asunción Alfaro Prats was a teacher. His sister, Abigail Díaz Alfaro, was the second of wife of [[Gilberto Concepción De Gracia]], founder of the [[Puerto Rican Independence Party]]

| influences =

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| signature =

| website =

}}

'''Abelardo Díaz Alfaro''' (July 24, 1916 &ndash; July 22, 1999) was an author from [[Puerto Rico]] who achieved great fame throughout [[Latin America]] during the 1940s. His book ''Campo Alegre'' is a text that has been studied at schools in Austria, Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand as well as all over the Americas.<ref name="SH">[http://www.proyectosalonhogar.com/BiografiasPr/abelardo_diaz_%20alfaro.htm Salon Hogar] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419082416/http://www.proyectosalonhogar.com/BiografiasPr/abelardo_diaz_%20alfaro.htm |date=April 19, 2012 }}</ref>

== Life and career ==

Diaz Alfaro obtained a Bachelor's degree in Arts at the ''Instituto Politécnico de [[San German]]''. He also obtained a title as a social worker, as well as certificates in [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and [[psychology]].

Díaz Alfaro was born in [[Caguas, Puerto Rico]], but soon after his family moved to [[Ponce, Puerto Rico|Ponce]]. He was the son of Abelardo Díaz Morales, a Baptist minister, and Asunción Alfaro Pratts (Doña Sunchita). His siblings were Abigail, Dalila, Miriam, Priscilla, Raquel, Lydia and Samuel. He returned to Caguas to attend university and married [[Gladys Meaux]], with whom he had two daughters (Dalila and Nanette) and one son (Abelardo).<ref name="SH"/><ref name="NYT">{{cite web |title=Abelardo Diaz Alfaro, 81; Author of Puerto Rican Stories (Published 1999) |website=[[The New York Times]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605001614/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/26/books/abelardo-diaz-alfaro-81-author-of-puerto-rican-stories.html |archive-date=2023-06-05 |url-status=live |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/26/books/abelardo-diaz-alfaro-81-author-of-puerto-rican-stories.html}}</ref><ref name="FNCP">{{Cite web|url=https://prpop.org/biografias/abelardo-diaz-alfaro/|title=Abelardo Díaz Alfaro|publisher=[[National Foundation for Popular Culture]]|___location=San Juan, Puerto Rico|language=es}}</ref>

DiazDíaz Alfaro obtained a Bachelorbachelor's degree in Artsarts at the ''Instituto Politécnico de [[San GermanGermán]]'', which is now known as Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico. He also obtained a title as a social worker, as well asand certificates in [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and [[psychologyPsychology]].<ref name="NYT"/>

He also obtained many honorary doctorates from different universities.{{Fact|date=May 2007}}

He also obtained many honorary doctorates from different universities.{{Fact|date=May 2007}}

Some of his short stories, like "Peyo Merce ensena ingles" or "Santa Clo va a la cuchilla" (in [[Terrazo]]) create a manichean dichotomy between unlearned Puertorrican peasants and American invasors (portrayed through the mandatory teaching of the English language in Puerto Rico). Thus, a praise of layman culture is expressed throughout his short stories. The metaphor of weak or feminine Americans versus uneducated but brave Puertorricans is taken later by other writers like [[Ana Lydia Vega]].

Some of his short stories, like "Peyo MerceMercé ensenaenseña inglesinglés" or "Santa CloCló va a la cuchillaCuchilla" (in ''[[Terrazo]]'') create a manichean[[Manichaean]] dichotomy between unlearned PuertorricanPuerto Rican peasants and American invasorsinvaders (portrayed through the mandatory teaching of the English language in Puerto Rico). Thus, a praise of layman culture is expressed throughout his short stories. The metaphor of weak or feminine Americans versus uneducated but brave PuertorricansPuerto Ricans is taken later by other writers like [[Ana Lydia Vega]].<ref name="SH"/>

He was able to do conferences in many points of Latin America after reaching fame, including [[Mexico]] (at the ''Ateneo Español''), [[Venezuela]] and many other countries. His books have been translated to [[English language|English]], [[Polish language|Polish]], [[Russian language|Russian]], [[German language|German]], [[French language|French]], [[Italian language|Italian]] and [[Czech language|Czech]], among other languages.

He waspresented able to doat conferences in many pointsparts of Latin America after reaching fame, including [[in Mexico]] (at the ''Ateneo Español''), [[Venezuela]] and many other countries. His books have been translated tointo [[English language|English]], [[Polish language|Polish]], [[Russian language|Russian]], [[German language|German]], [[French language|French]], [[Italian language|Italian]] and [[Czech language|Czech]], among other languages.<ref name="NYT"/>

==Works==

Among the books he wrote are:

* ''[[Terrazo]]'' (published in [[1947]])

* ''[[Mi Isla SonadaSoñada]]''

* ''[[Los Perros]]''

* ''[[The Eye Ofof Thethe Heart]]''

* ''[[United States Inin Literature]]''

* ''[[Classic Tales Ofof Spanish America]]''

* ''[[Cuentos del Mundo Hispano]]'' (Spanish version of ''Classic Tales'')

* ''[[Changes AntologiaAntología Mundial]]''

* ''[[The Green Antilles]]''

* ''[[Contemporary Readers]]''

* ''[[National Catholic]]''

* ''[[The Princeton Tiger]]''

* ''[[Europe in France]]''

* ''[[Campo Alegre (book)|Campo Alegre]]''.

*''[[Santa Clo va a la cuchilla (cuento)]]''

Campo Alegre is a text that has been studied at schools in [[Austria]], [[Australia]], [[Canada]], [[England]], [[New Zealand]] as well as all over the Americas.

==See also==

{{Portal|Puerto Rico|Biography|Literature}}

*[[List of famous Puerto Ricans]]

* [[List of Puerto Rican writers]]

[[Category:1916 births|Diaz Alfaro, Abelardo]]

* [[List of famous Puerto Ricans]]

[[Category:1999 deaths|Diaz Alfaro, Abelardo]]

* [[Category:Puerto Rican writers|Alfaroliterature]]

[[Category:People from Caguas, Puerto Rico|Alfaro, Abelardo]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Diaz Alfaro, Abelardo}}

[[Category:1916 births|Diaz Alfaro, Abelardo]]

[[Category:1999 deaths|Diaz Alfaro, Abelardo]]

[[Category:Burials at Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery]]

[[Category:Puerto Rican male short story writers]]

[[Category:Puerto Rican short story writers]]

[[Category:Puerto Rican male writers]]

[[Category:People from Caguas, Puerto Rico|Alfaro, Abelardo]]

[[Category:20th-century American male writers]]

{{PuertoRico-bio-stub}}

[[es:Abelardo Díaz Alfaro]]