Carlos Fuentes was born in 1928. He attended the National University of Mexico and did graduate work at the Institute des Hautes Etudes in Switzerland. In addition to writing, Fuentes has taught at a number of universities, including Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, and Brown. He has also served as the ambassador of Mexico to France. Primarily known as a novelist, Fuentes has also written essays and screenplays. His interest in the history of his country is a central theme in his novels. These include The Death of Artemio Cruz, The Old Gringo, which was later adapted as a film, and Terra Nostra. Terra Nostra won Fuentes the Romulo Gallegos Prize in Venezuela. Fuentes was also awarded the Cervantes Prize from the Spanish Ministry of Culture.
Carlos Fuentes (México, 1928) es uno de los más importantes escritores mexicanos. Ha escrito novelas como La región más transparente, La muerte de Artemio Cruz y Aura, entre otras, que han renovado la literatura mexicana. También es autor de obras de teatro, guiones de cine, crónicas periodísticas, ensayos políticos, crítica de literatura. Su influencia es muy amplia dentro y fuera de México, y ha obtenido varios de los más prestigiosos premios literarios, entre ellos el Cervantes.