Isabel Allende is often called the world’s most widely-read Spanish language author. She’s written more than 20 novels, many of them bestsellers.
Allende was raised in her grandparents’ house in Chile. Her father abandoned the family when she was a toddler, so Allende’s mother had no choice but to move back in with her parents with her three kids.
Isabel Allende tells NPR’s Latino USA that her grandparents were a major influence on her life.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Isabel Allende was born in Chile. In fact, she was born in Peru while her father was working at the Chilean embassy. She later moved to Chile.
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