Aida Toledo


Aida Toledo is a Guatemalan poet, short story writer, non-fiction writer and educator.

Biography

Born in Guatemala City in 1952, Toledo studied literature at the Universidad de [San Carlos de Guatemala|San Carlos University]. She then attended University of Pittsburgh where she obtained both a master's degree and a doctorate in Latin American literature and culture. She has taught abroad at the University of Alabama, the University of [Toulouse II – Le Mirail] and the University of Arizona and in Guatemala at Rafael Landívar University and at the Centro de Investigaciones Regionales de Mesoamérica.
One of Central America's most significant poets, Toledo's work exhibits an intimately sensual flavour of provocative feminism. In her Pezóculos, the 14 short stories at the beginning of the book present female characters who suffer the kind of social pressures women so often experience. Then come 10 texts in poetic prose with philosophical reflections stemming from Toledo's academic background.
Aida Toledo is married to Enrique Noriega, another award-winning poet from Guatemala.

Works

Toledo's publications include academic works, poetry collections and fiction:
;Academic works:
;Poetry collections:
  • 1990: Brutal batalla de silencios
  • 1994: Realidad más extraña que el sueño with which she won the September 15th Central American Permanent Contest in 1992
  • 1997: Cuando Pittsburgh no cesa de ser Pittsburgh
  • 1998: Bondades de la cibernética/Kindness of Cybernetics
  • 2006: Con la lengua pegada al paladar
  • 2010: Un hoy que parece estatua
;Short stories
  • 2001: ''Pezóculos''

    Awards

Toledo has received several literary awards including first prize at the 66th Hispanic-American Literature Competition at Quetzaltenango with her poetry collection Con la Lengua Pegada al Paladar.