One of the most recognized writers from contemporary Cuba is Pedro Juan Gutiérrez, a former journalist who is best known for his narrative depictions of Havana during the economic crisis into which the island sank in the 1990s. Described as “Central Havana’s literary chronicler” (Ruffinelli 149), Gutiérrez portrays the lives of ordinary people amassed in Centro Habana, the most populated district in the Cuban capital: street hustlers, tourists, winos sleeping on the street, prostitutes, ex-cons, white-collar workers, and intellectuals, all eking out an existence in the daunting realities of the capital city.

Pedro Juan Gutiérrez was born on January 27, 1950 in Matanzas, Cuba. He spent his childhood traveling between Matanzas and Pinar del Río, where his parents had lived briefly

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Citation: Oxford, Lori. "Pedro Juan Gutiérrez". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 02 August 2016 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=13691, accessed 28 March 2024.]

13691 Pedro Juan Gutiérrez 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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