Miguel A. Asturias
(1899-1971), Guatemala.

Miguel Asturias received the Nobel Prize "for his highly colored writings, rooted in a national individuality and Indian traditions." In his many novels, stories, poems, and plays, Asturias displayed his concern for the South American Indian traditions, mythology, and folklore; the national identity forwhich he fought; and the compassion for the underdog in which he believed. His writing was a true reflection of his beliefs, which led to many years in exile because of his opposition to dictatorships in power in his native Guatemala.