Octavio Paz

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Octavio Paz (1914-1988) was born and raised in Mixcoac, a present-day part of Mexico City. His family supported Emiliano Zapata, and after his assassination, were forced into exile in the United States. Paz was only nineteen years of age when he published his first collection of poetry, entitled Luna Silvestre (Wild Moon). Throughout his career, Paz founded two literary journals,Barandal (1932) and Taller (1938). In 1945 he began working as a diplomat for the Mexican government, and traveled to such places as Paris, Tokyo, Geneva, and Mumbai. His travels influenced much of his work, and he published many of his books while working abroad.