Argentine writer Julio Cortázar was one of the great Spanish-language authors of the 20th century, especially remembered for his mastery of language and his command of the story, always on the verge of the fantastic and the real.
Born in Belgium, his father worked for the Argentine embassy in that country. Cortázar grew up in Argentina and studied Literature and then Philosophy at the University of Buenos Aires, although he never completed his studies, working sporadically as a literature professor and eventually teaching at the University of Cuyo.
His political stance led him to abandon university when Perón came to power, dedicating himself to writing and translation, contributing to numerous specialized cultural magazines.
In 1951, Cortázar published Bestiario, his first anthology, which earned him some recognition. However, he decided to leave Argentina and settle in Paris, a self-imposed exile that would lead him to live in different countries, both in Europe and America, from then on.
