José Lezama Lima (1910-1976)

Havana-born poet, essayist, and lawyer. Attracted early to writing, he helped found the literary magazines Verbum (1937), Espuela de plata (1939), and Orígenes (1944) while at the University of Havana. Possessed of an extensive culture and immense vocabulary, he attempted to create a universal poetic system in the collections Muerte de Narciso (1937), La Fijeza (1949), and Dador (1960).  His Paradiso (1966) is considered one of the most important novels of the “boom” of the 1960s.  His essays include Analecta del reloj (1953), Las Eras imaginarias (1971), and La Cantidad hechizada (1970).  Both novel and essays require a profound ability to read his intricate prose.  Despite being one of the most important Cuban writers, he spent his later years almost totally isolated for his failure to identify with the regime.  He died from pneumonia on August 6,1976 in the presence of his wife and a couple of friends.