About
Pablo Neruda (1904–1973) is the most widely read Spanish-language poet of the 20th century — his 'Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair' (1924), written at age 20, became the best-selling Spanish poetry collection of all time, with 10 million copies sold. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971.
Neruda served as Chile's ambassador to France and was a committed communist — his political beliefs made him both celebrated and persecuted. He died 12 days after Pinochet's coup that overthrew Salvador Allende; suspicious circumstances surrounding his death have been repeatedly investigated. His house in Santiago (La Chascona) is now a museum.
# Top 10 Pablo Neruda facts
- 1Neruda's 'Twenty Love Poems' sold 10 million copies — written when he was 20 years old
- 2He died 12 days after Pinochet's coup — forensic examination has questioned whether his death from cancer was natural
- 3García Márquez called him 'the greatest poet of the 20th century in any language'
Fascinating Facts
- ◆Neruda's 'Twenty Love Poems' sold 10 million copies — written when he was 20 years old
- ◆He died 12 days after Pinochet's coup — forensic examination has questioned whether his death from cancer was natural
- ◆García Márquez called him 'the greatest poet of the 20th century in any language'
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