A Finalist for the PEN/Bograd Weld Prize for Biography   The most definitive biography to date of the poet Pablo Neruda, a moving portrait of one of the most intriguing, influential, and controversial figures in Latin American history Few poets have captured the global imagination like Pablo Neruda. In his native Chile, across Latin America, and in many other parts of the world, his name and legacy have become almost synonymous with liberation movements, with the language of erotic love, as well as misogyny.  Neruda: The Biography of a Poet  is the product of fifteen years of research by Mark Eisner, writer, editor, translator, and documentary filmmaker. The book vividly depicts Neruda's monumental life, potent verse, while examining his ardent belief in the "poet's obligation" to use poetry for social good. It also bravely provides the context to best understand and evaluate Neruda's darker behavior. In a novel fashion, the book braids together three major strands of Neruda's life--his world-revered poetry; his political engagement; and his tumultuous, even controversial, personal life--forming a single cohesive narrative of intimacy and breadth. The fascinating events of Neruda's life are thus interspersed with Eisner's thoughtful examinations of the poems, both as works of art in their own right and as mirrors of Neruda's life and times. This creates a book that animates Neruda's riveting story in a new way--one that offers a compelling narrative version of Neruda's life, undergirded by exhaustive research, yet designed to bring this colossal literary figure to a broader audience, through an unflinching, through biography that reads like novel. "Mark Eisner's definitive biography of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda reads like a beautifully written novel: attentive to scene, momentum, and rich with evocative details." - Cristina García, Dreaming in Cuban "...brings alive Latin America's greatest poet...Empathetic but unflinching when occasion calls for criticism, Eisner weaves his subject's stanzas that resonate with the poet's personal stories. A real treat is the who's who of intellectual luminaries who make cameos throughout...A definitive biography and instant classic." (Library Journal (starred review) ) "Efficient and moving... Eisner doesn't let the enchantment of the verse soften his disapproval of the poet's serial adultery or mistreatment of women, and questions Neruda's self-appointed "people's poet" status. Nevertheless, the thematic arc of Neruda's poetic vocation is invitingly presented. [Eisner's] descriptions are poetry themselves..." (Publishers Weekly) "A thoughtful and valuable book, linking the meaning of Neruda's public life to the state of our world now." (The Hudson Review) "A riveting, brilliantly rendered portrait of a towering figure in Latin American cultural history, and in global literature. From aesthetic breakthroughs and tumultuous love affairs to the frontlines of the Spanish Civil War and the brutal coup in Chile, Eisner deftly weaves the strands of Neruda's life into a narrative as intimate as it is sweeping. This book is an astounding accomplishment, an essential text, and a terrific joy to read."- Carolina de Robertis, Cantoras Few poets have captured the global imagination like Pablo Neruda. In his native Chile, across Latin America, and in many other parts of the world, his name and legacy have become almost synonymous with liberation movements, and with the language of erotic love. Neruda: The Biography of a Poet is the product of fifteen years of research by Mark Eisner, writer, translator, and documentary filmmaker. The book vividly depicts Neruda’s monumental life, potent verse, and ardent belief in the “poet’s obligation” to use poetry for social good. It braids together three major strands of Neruda’s life—his world-revered poetry; his political engagement; and his tumultuous, even controversial, personal life—forming a single cohesive narrative of intimacy and breadth. Mark Eisner is a writer, editor, and translator. Neruda: The Biography of a Poet  is the product of fifteen years of in-depth research, including many primary interviews with members of Neruda's intimate circle, who offered rare insights into this mysterious public figure's life. Previously, Eisner conceived, edited, and was one of the principal translators for City Lights' The Essential Neruda: Selected Poems. He also wrote the introduction to City Lights' first ever English translation of Neruda's venture of the infinite man, a project he developed. Mark has also produced a documentary on Neruda, narrated by Isabel Allende. Moving on from Neruda, he co-edited Resistencia: Poems of Protest and Revolution," an anthology published by Tin House in 2020. Mark is currently writing the biography Art as a Weapon: Tina Modotti and the Mexican Cultural Renaissance . It will be published by Yale University Press in 2026. He has long been involved with the Red Poppy Art House, an imp