Andrea Jeftanovic, born on October 15, 1970, in Santiago de Chile, is a distinguished Chilean writer, sociologist, and academic. She experienced significant historical events at a young age, including the Chilean military coup when she was just three years old. Growing up under Augusto Pinochet's military regime, Jeftanovic witnessed firsthand the profound effects of the 17-year dictatorship on the Chilean identity.
Jeftanovic pursued her education with fervor, obtaining a degree in social science from the Universidad Católica and a doctorate in Hispanic-American literature from the University of California, Berkeley. She has worked in academia, holding a post at the University Diego Portales. Her lineage is a fusion of cultures, with a Serbian father and a mother of Bulgarian-Jewish descent.
As an author, Jeftanovic has contributed significantly to the literary world with novels such as Escenario de guerra and Geografía de la lengua, as well as short story collections including Monólogos en fuga, No aceptes caramelos de extraños, and Destinos errantes. Her nonfiction work includes titles like Conversaciones con Isidora Aguirre, Archivo Isidora Aguirre. Composición de una memoria, the collection of creative essays Escribir desde el trapecio, and the essay Hablan los hijos. Jeftanovic's work has been translated into multiple languages and published widely across Latin America and Europe. She has received numerous accolades, including the Círculo de Críticos de Arte de Chile Award, the Municipal Prize, the National Book and Reading Council Award, and the Pen Translate Award.
Jeftanovic's narrative has been influenced by authors such as Benjamin and Sebald, and she is known for her ability to transgress boundaries between fiction and non-fiction. Critics have also noted the presence of significant female literary voices in her writing, with references to Virginia Woolf, Diamela Eltit, Clarice Lispector, and Elfriede Jelinek. Her work reflects a commitment to exploring intersecting identities and cultural heritages.