Passion or Profession: Writer

Period: 1920–

Mario Benedetti is acclaimed as one of Uruguay's most perceptive writers. Many of his works reveal his social and political conscience. Because of his political beliefs and writings, Benedetti was forced into exile during the 1970s. Some of his experiences are included in works such as El cumpleaños de Juan Ángel (The Birthday of Juan Angel, 1971), an autobiographical novella, and Con y sin nostalgia (With and without Nostalgia, 1977), a collection of short stories about violence and exile.