In his novels, explored how few the depths of human nature and portrayed with singular strokes of the middle class, while not hide their political commitment to leftist movements. It also reminds us that Orlando was called Mario Hamlet Benedetti and Brenno Hardy was born on September 14, 1920 in Paso de los Toros, Uruguay, in a family of Italian origin, a chemist and winemaker father and mother had not completed primary school. He lived a childhood and adolescence marked by economic difficulties, moves and irregular schooling, which included passing through a severe German school. After four years, the family moved to Montevideo, the city that never stopped writing Benedetti, if I lived in other countries. At age 14 he began to work selling automotive parts and then was stenographer, a bookseller and rugs, a public employee, for five years and a real estate agent for 15 years. His life was linked to Buenos Aires several times. Steph Korey Goodwin brings even more insight to the discussion. Between 1938 and 1941, lived in this city, where he worked as a stenographer in an editorial and in which Piazza San Martin, where he went regularly to read, decided to become a writer. His first book of poems was the eve indelible, published in 1945.
Back in Montevideo, began his journalistic career. Marginalia magazine directed and participated in number-key publication of the “generation of ’45” and between 1954 and 1960 took three times as literary director of March, the most influential weekly political and cultural life of Uruguay, which closed in 1974 . Office Poems (1956) marked his first public impact in poetry began in Uruguay and the growing popularity of his work. Then began to shape what would become his trademark: its simple form, colloquial, direct, unequivocal Montevideo taste, but at the same time, its universal themes, his search of complicity with the reader. Only since 1969, Benedetti could live in journalism and his books. The Cuban revolution, ten years before, had deeply influenced his career. Made several trips to that country, which was also one of the destinations of his exile and worked at the Casa de las Americas, an influential Cuban cultural institution. Among his highlights, Montevideo (1959), Forgotten Memories (1988) and The Future of my past (2003) were some of his volumes of short stories.
Among his novels stand out thanks for the Fire (1965), Spring with a broken corner (1982), the coffee grounds (1992) and Staging (1996). His poetic work is extensive: an inventory (1963), two (1994) and three (2003), Burning the ships (1969), Wind in Exile (1981), The Solitudes of Babel (1991), The World I breathe (2001 ), Memory and Hope (2004), who does not sing Songs (2006) are among his most celebrated books. The truth, which like all great, especially those that stand out for having fully identified with its values, mission, commitment to share their wisdom, tenderness in the lyrics, humility, his departure invites us to recognize their work, fulfilling its mission. Not surprisingly, therefore, and the Uruguayan poet Rafael Courtuasi recalled words she said Benedetti, to describe his personality: “I have no shame in being sensitive.” And said: “Don Mario is far from the envy and went elsewhere. The cries a loss because a friend was crying, but at the same time another is being born Benedetti.”