José Emilio Pacheco is a key and prolific figure in twentieth century Mexican literature. Born in Mexico City in 1939, he is regarded as one of the main figures of the so-called
Generación de los 50 o del Medio Siglo[The 1950’s or Half-century Generation], alongside other significant writers such as Carlos Monsiváis, Salvador Elizondo and Sergio Pitol, to name a few. He is best known as a poet, but he also cultivated prose fiction (both novels and short stories), essays (mostly through his columns in newspapers and literary magazines), and translations (his translations of Samuel Beckett, T.S. Elliot and Oscar Wilde being perhaps the most celebrated).
His writings have been characterised as concerned with a recurring questioning of history, time and the nature of the human condition.
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Citation: Rodero, Jesus. "José Emilio Pacheco". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 25 July 2017 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=13905, accessed 06 October 2024.]