Madrid is a capital city of contradictions, at once marked by its turbulent history and constant changes, political turmoil and economic upheaval. It also has a steady, unchanging calmness and presence, a sense of its own bearing that is reflecting in the literature that was inspired by its sun-drenched streets and shady, restful parks.  Many writers, Spanish or otherwise, have been captivated by this ever changing place. Madrid many squares are monuments to its literary heroes. Across from the Prado, Spain’s largest art museum, is Barrio de Las Letras, the literary district. There is a museum dedicated to the poet Calderron, but this area is no dusty museum. It is a lively and vibrant area, full of people of all...

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Pablo Neruda is known the world over for his intensely lyrical and romantic poetry, an almost magical ability to conjure feelings and emotions through beautiful metaphors and stunning images. It is no surprise that Neruda lived as intensely as he wrote - his life was beset by doomed love affairs and political intrigue. Read on for my short summary of Chile’s greatest poet, Pablo Neruda.   A young Pablo Neruda Pablo Neruda was born on the 12th July, 1904 in Parral, Chile. His father was a railway worker and his mother was a schoolteacher. She died just two months after he was born. He was raised by his half-sister and his father.   Neruda showed an interest in writing from...

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