Photo: Lesekreis / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Isabel Allende was born on August 2, 1942 in Lima, Lima Department, Peru. Isabel Allende is credited as a voice actor, screenwriter and children's writer. That works out to 84 years old in 2026. Recorded honors include National Prize for Literature (Chile) (2010), Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award (2012), California Hall of Fame (2016) and 5 more. Credited works include The House of the Spirits, Zorro and A Long Petal of the Sea.
My Take
Isabel Allende is, to me, the reigning queen of magical realism, and an author whose stamina is as striking as her style. The House of the Spirits announced a singular voice, and the National Prize for Literature, the Andersen Award and a shelf of others confirm it. What moves me most is how a writer who lived through political upheaval keeps her prose warm and centered on the resilience of women. A Peruvian-born, Chilean-American who became truly borderless, she wraps historical pain in enchantment and delivers it to readers everywhere. I hold her in deep regard.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Isabel Allende
- Name (Japanese)
- イサベル・アジェンデ
- Reading
- いさべる・あじぇんで
- Born
- August 2, 1942 (age 84)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Horse
- Origin
- Lima, Lima Department, Peru
- Occupation
- voice actor / screenwriter / children's writer / novelist / writer
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 2010 National Prize for Literature (Chile)
- 2012 Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award
- 2016 California Hall of Fame
- 1989 American Book Awards
- 2004 Common Wealth Award of Distinguished Service
- 2017 Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards
- 2007 honorary doctorate
- 2018 BBC 100 Women
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The House of the Spirits | — | |
| Notable work | Zorro | — | |
| Notable work | A Long Petal of the Sea | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://isabelallende.com
- Xhttps://x.com/isabelallende
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabel%20Allende
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A4%E3%82%B5%E3%83%99%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BB%E3%82%A2%E3%82%B8%E3%82%A7%E3%83%B3%E3%83%87
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q83566
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Isabel Allende born?
Born August 2, 1942 (age 84).
Where is Isabel Allende from?
Isabel Allende is from Lima, Lima Department, Peru.
What does Isabel Allende do?
Isabel Allende works as voice actor, screenwriter, children's writer, novelist, writer.
What is Isabel Allende known for?
Notable works include The House of the Spirits, Zorro, A Long Petal of the Sea.
Voice actor — see all → · Screenwriter — see all → · More people from Peru →