Nicomedes Guzmán

Guzmán's mother was a housewife and augmented their meagre family income by caring for upper-class homes on occasion (Pearson 1976: 4-5).

The author as a "proletarian novelist," wanted to emphasize the humble origin of his family, and did so especially in the dedication of his first novel, Los hombres oscuros, to his parents: "TO MY FATHER, ice cream peddler [heladero ambulante]; TO MY MOTHER, domestic employee [obrera doméstica]" His formal education was often interrupted by his having to work —as a precocious laborer- to help the large family.

Later because of his success in publishing, the government gave him a position in the Department of Culture in the Homeland Ministry, where he worked together with another famous Chilean, the newspaper writer of Las Ultimas Noticias, Luis Sánchez Latorre, known widely as "Filebo."

He had a further two children from a later marriage with the psychologist and social worker, Esther Josefina Panay Pérez.

He edited many books, published ímportant anthologies, and helped a number of less-fortunate writers.