Oscar Hijuelos

Date of Birth: August 24, 1951

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Date of Death: October 12, 2013

Biography

Oscar Hijuelos was a prominent Cuban-American novelist born in New York City, known for his richly textured narratives that explore the Cuban-American experience. He gained widespread acclaim for his 1989 novel “The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love,” which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, making him the first Hispanic writer to receive this prestigious award. Hijuelos’ works often delve into themes of identity, exile, and the immigrant experience, blending historical and cultural elements with personal and familial struggles. Throughout his career, he published several novels, including “Our House in the Last World,” “The Fourteen Sisters of Emilio Montez O’Brien,” and “A Simple Habana Melody.” Hijuelos’ writing is characterized by its lyrical prose and deep empathy for his characters, drawing readers into the vibrant worlds he created. His contributions to literature have left a lasting impact, shedding light on the complexities of the Cuban-American identity and the broader immigrant narrative in the United States.

5 Interesting Facts about Oscar Hijuelos

1. Oscar Hijuelos was the first Hispanic author to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

2. He graduated from the City College of New York, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Fine Arts.

3. His novel “The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love” was adapted into a film in 1992, starring Armand Assante and Antonio Banderas.

4. Hijuelos also wrote a memoir titled “Thoughts Without Cigarettes,” which chronicles his experiences growing up in a Cuban-American household.

5. He was a writer-in-residence at Duke University, where he influenced many aspiring writers and students.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Oscar Hijuelos

1. “The beauty of literature is you allow readers to see things through other people’s eyes. All good books do this.”

2. “I think part of my gift as a novelist is that I have a certain emotional accessibility, which allows me to look at things with some honesty and empathy.”

3. “My books are my freedom. They are the parts of me that survived.”

4. “The characters in my books are often people who are struggling, and I think that struggle is universal.”

5. “You write to please yourself, but you can’t ignore that a writer is also an entertainer.”