List of Cuban writers

A list of Cuban writers, including novelists, poets, and critics: Cuban authors and writers have influenced and shaped the history of the world. Throughout the years many of their contributions have caused radical shifts: from social movements to global perspectives in the Americas and beyond.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

A

• Brígida Agüero (1837–1866), poet
• Mirta Aguirre (1912–1980), poet, novelist, and journalist
• Magaly Alabau (born 1945), poet
• Dora Alonso (1910–2001), author and journalist
• Reinaldo Arenas (1943–1990), openly gay poet, novelist, and playwright, author of Before Night Falls (Antes que anochezca)

B

• Emilio Bacardi Moreau (1844–1822), poet, writer, playwright, and patriot
• Joaquín Badajoz (born 1972), poet and writer
• Gastón Baquero (1916–1997), poet and writer
• Miguel Barnet, anthropologist and testimonialist
• Antonio Benítez-Rojo (1931–2005), author and critic
• Pedro Luis Boitel (1931–1972), poet and dissident
• Mariano Brull (1891–1956), postmodern poet

C

• Lydia Cabrera (1899–1991), anthropologist and poet
• Guillermo Cabrera Infante (1929–2005), novelist, author of Tres tristes tigres, Cervantes Prize winner
• Onelio Jorge Cardoso (1914–1986), screenwriter and short fiction writer
• Alejo Carpentier (1904–1980), novelist, author of El reino de este mundo, Cervantes Prize winner
• Julián del Casal, 19th-century poet
• Fidel Castro (1926–2016), former President of Cuba
• Daniel Chavarria, Uruguyan-born author
• Daína Chaviano, novelist and short-story writer
• Enrique Cirules (1938–2016), novelist and essayist
• Domitila García de Coronado (1847–1938), writer, journalist, editor, professor

D

• Edmundo Desnoes, novelist, author of Memorias del Subdesarrollo
• Jesús Díaz (1941–2002), novelist, filmmaker, and intellectual, founder of the influential cultural magazine Encuentro

E

• Darío Espina Pérez (October 25, 1920 – September 6, 1996), writer, founder and president of La Academia Poética de Miami

F

• Samuel Feijóo (1914–1992), author
• Roberto Fernández Retamar (1930–2019), poet, essayist, and literary critic
• Norberto Fuentes (born 1943), author and journalist

G

• Michael John Garcés (born 1967), playwright and director.
• Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda (1814–1873), novelist, playwright, and poet, author of Sab (1842) and Baltasar (1858)
• Justo González (born 1937), author and historian
• Jorge Enrique González Pacheco (born 1969), poet and cultural entrepreneur
• Nicolás Guillén (1902–1989), Afro-Cuban poet
• Pedro Juan Gutiérrez (born 1950) "dirty realist" novelist, poet, and painter

H

• José María Heredia y Heredia (1803–1839), poet
• Georgina Herrera (1936–2021), poet

L

• Carilda Oliver Labra (1922–2018), poet
• José Lezama Lima (1910–1976), novelist and poet, author of Paradiso
• Eduardo del Llano (born 1962)

M

• Jorge Mañach (1898–1961), writer
• Juan Francisco Manzano (1797–1854), author and poet
• Dulce María Loynaz (1902–1997), poet, Cervantes Prize winner
• José Martí (1853–1895), poet, journalist, critic, translator, and patriot
• Calixto Martínez, journalist and political prisoner
• Rubén Martínez Villena, writer
• Domingo del Monte (1804–1853), author and literary critic
• Nancy Morejón (born 1944), Afro-Cuban poet
• Dolan Mor (born 1968)
• Manuel Maria Mustelier (1878–1941), writer and teacher

O

• Fernando Ortiz (1881–1969), author and essayist
• Lisandro Otero (1932–2008), novelist and journalist

P

• Heberto Padilla (1932–2000), poet
• Leonardo Padura Fuentes (born 1955), novelist and journalist
• Ricardo Pau-Llosa (born 1954), poet
• Regino Pedroso (1896–1983), poet
• Gustavo Pérez Firmat (born 1949), poet, memoirist, literary critic
• Jorge Armando Pérez (born 1961), writer, theologian, fiction
• Virgilio Piñera (1912–1979), author, playwright, poet, short-story writer and essayist
• Carlos Pintado (born 1974), poet

R

• Félix Ramos y Duarte (1848–1924), educator, textbook writer and lexicographer
• José Ignacio Rivero (1920–2011), exile journalist
• Raúl Rivero (1945–2021), dissident poet and journalist
• Antonio Rodríguez Salvador (born 1960), poet, fiction writer, dramatist and essayist

S

• Pedro Pérez Sarduy (born 1943), poet, novelist and journalist
• Severo Sarduy (1937–1993), neobaroque poet
• Ana María Simo, playwright, essayist and lesbian activist

U

• Úrsula Céspedes (1832–1874), poet

V

• Zoé Valdés (born 1959), novelist
• Enrique José Varona (1848–1933), author and journalist
• Cirilo Villaverde, novelist, author of Cecilia Valdés (1882)
• Cintio Vitier (1921–2009), poet, essayist and novelist

Z

• Juan Clemente Zenea (1832–1871), author and poet
• Héctor Zumbado, writer, journalist, humorist, and critic

See also

• List of Cuban women writers
• Cuban literature
• List of Cuban American writers
• List of Latin American writers