Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neruda was a Chilean poet and diplomat. He was born as Ricardo Eliecer Neftali Reyes Basoalto in Parral, Chile, in 1904. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971. He is one of the most widely read poets of the 1900s.

Early Life

Neruda started writing poetry as a child. He took the pen name Pablo Neruda as a teenager. He published his first book of poems at age 19. He became a diplomat and served as a consul in many countries.

A photograph of the poet Pablo Neruda as a young man.
A photograph of the poet Pablo Neruda as a young man. (Unknown authorUnknown author / Wikimedia Commons)

Big Achievements

Neruda wrote over 50 books of poetry. His love poems are read at weddings around the world. He also wrote political poetry and supported social justice. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971. His funeral became a massive protest against Chile's dictatorship.

Fun Facts

  • Neruda collected over 3,000 seashells from around the world.
  • He took his pen name from the Czech poet Jan Neruda.
  • His house in Chile is shaped like a ship and is now a museum.

Did You Know?

Neruda's Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair has sold millions of copies and been translated into dozens of languages. His poems about love are among the most famous in any language.