Some of Isabel Allende's (Lima, 1942) books began as letters. In them she wrote down personal reflections that, little by little, over time, took on plots, characters, eras, etc.
There is ‘La casa de los espíritus,’ one of her many culminating works. Or ‘Paula,’ which she dedicated to her daughter. She has always denied that these were autobiographies in the usual sense, on the contrary: for her, they are a collection of memories that have made her unique.
No matter the genre, and she has tackled almost all of them, from detective to historical, Allende has forged a unique style. That is why she is considered the world's most widely read living writer in the Spanish language. This Thursday she has added the first editions of both novels to the Caja de las Letras, a vault where the Hispanic cultural heritage is preserved. Who knows if, in the future, it will become another book.
