​"Write what should not be forgotten."

• NOVELIST
• Noted for her strong female characters and a blend of magic and realism, her books generally center around the themes of feminism, social and political commentary, and the resilience of love
• FIRST Hispanic woman considered to be on par with the male heavyweights of Latin American fiction
• Her first novel, The House of the Spirits, brought her immediate acclaim, and was made into a Hollywood film starring prominent actors such as Glenn Close and Meryl Streep
• Also known for her non-fiction, including two memoirs and the book Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses, a humorous book about sex and food
• In memory of her daughter, who died at age 29, she founded the Isabel Allende Foundation, which helps empower women to improve their lives and escape violence. Funding for the Foundation is provided primarily through sales of Paula, a memoir about her daughter's death.
• Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Photo by Mutari (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Bibliography: Burling, Alexis. Women in Literature. North Mankato: Abdo Publishing, 2017. Print.
Cavallo, Francesca and Elena Favilli. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women. Canada: Timbuktu Labs, Inc., 2016. Print.
Erro-Peralta, Nora. "Allende, Isabel." The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History, Vol. 1. Oxford University Press, 2008, 97-98.
​Mission. https://isabelallende.org

---

Support this organization dedicated to preserving her mission:

Isabel Allende Foundation

Books by this Awesome Woman

Biographies for Kids and Young Adults

Research

Meet more Awesome Women like this

Please note that while Awesome Women Library tries to include links only to media from reputable sources, we cannot attest to the quality or content of any media listed on this website. Our mission is to introduce you to these Awesome Women and give you a wide array of resources for learning more. We haven't read everything listed and are not a recommendation site, nor is this meant to be an exhaustive catalog of every book related to this woman -- there's just too much out there! Happy reading!!