Alberto Blest Gana

[2] He was born in Santiago, the son of an Irishman, William Cunningham Blest, and of María de la Luz Gana Darrigrande, from an aristocratic landowning family.

A liberal, Alberto Blest was named intendant of the province of Colchagua and starting 1866 he was Chilean diplomatic representative at Washington, London and Paris.

Among his successes were the inclusion of Chile in the Universal Postal Union and the purchase of armament for Chilean troops during the War of the Pacific.

The lively adventure and love intrigue infused with nostalgia qualify this novel as Blest Gana's greatest work.

Despite his non-literary education, which accounts for his careless style and excess of gallicisms, his work is considered fundamental, in terms of their representation of the customs, morals and ideals of 19th century Chileans.