Allende was born August 2, 1942, in Lima, Peru, the daughter of Chilean diplomat Tomás Allende and his wife, Francisca Llona Baros Allende. When Allende was only two years old, her parents divorced; she and her mother went to live with her maternal grandparents, Isabela and Augustin Llona, in Santiago, Chile. Allende's grandmother was, like the young girl's own mother, a wonderful teller of tales as well as a devout spiritualist; both women would prove to be a strong influence on the budding writer. Allende remained at the home of her doting grandparents until her mother married-- like her former husband--a member of the diplomatic service. Allende's new stepfather brought his new wife and stepdaughter with him on his travels around the world, giving her the opportunity to live in a variety of locations, including Bolivia and the Middle East, as well as in several major European cities.
In 1957, when the political upheaval in Lebanon--where her stepfather was currently posted--intensified, Allende was sent back to Chile to finish her high school education. After graduating two years later at the age of sixteen, she found her first job as a secretary for the United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization, staying there until 1965.
This is a free page. This page contains 188 words. This
biography contains 2,633 words (approx. 9 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Biography with our Isabel Allende Access Pass.
