Flores, Angel, 1900-1994

Angel Flores was born October 2, 1900 in Puerto Rico. He left Puerto Rico for New York and received his B.A. from New York University (1923), his M.A. from Lafayette College (1925), and his PhD from Cornell University (1947). Flores' career was as literary critic, pundit, teacher, translator, and publisher. He navigated both the English-speaking and Spanish-speaking worlds of literature. Flores is credited with being the first person to apply the term "magical realism" to literature. He was on the faculty of Cornell in the 1930s and and with support from the University he founded Dragon Press. Flores spent the 1940s in Washington D.C. working for the Pan American Union. His work there led to the establishment of Latin American Studies as an academic discipline. He died on January 3, 1992 in Guadalajara, Mexico. During his lifetime, Angel Flores wrote more than 80 books.

Angel Flores was born October 2, 1900 in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico. He left Puerto Rico at age 18 or 19 for New York. He received his B.A. from New York University (1923), his M.A. from Lafayette College (1925), and his PhD from Cornell University (1947).

Flores' career was as literary critic, pundit, teacher, translator, and publisher. He navigated both the English-speaking and Spanish-speaking worlds of literature. He was one of the early translators of Pablo Neruda into English; he was the original Spanish translator for T. S. Eliot's The Waste Land. He was a friend of Federico Garcia Lorca. Flores is credited with being the first person to apply the term "magical realism" to literature.

Flores was on the faculty of Cornell University during the late 1930s, and with the support of Cornell, he founded Dragon Press, in order to provide a publishing venue for modern poets without wide public appeal. Flores spent the 1940s in Washington D.C. working for the Pan American Union (later, the Organization of American States). His work there led to the establishment of Latin American Studies as an academic discipline. Flores retired as Professor Emeritus from Queens College, New York City. He died on January 3, 1992 in Guadalajara, Mexico. During his lifetime, Angel Flores wrote more than 80 books.