Introduction

The present edition of LiberArte commemorates the life and works of Moritz Thomsen, who began his literary career in the United States but developed his distinct voice and style as an expatriate in South America, namely Ecuador. In this edition, in two essays Alvaro Aleman makes the case for a reinvisioning of Ecuadorian society and culture through Thomsen’s expatriate status. Mary Ellen Fieweger, who shared Thomsen’s status as an expatriate author in Ecuador, highlights his critical reception and relation to other notable authors; she illuminates her essay with details gleaned from letters written by and to Thomsen.  Marc Covert contributes a three-part essay on the poverty Thomsen found so pervasive throughout his travels in South America. This edition includes an extensive primary and secondary bibliography relating to Thomsen’s work. It also features republished material from Thomsen’s early literary years in California. As we near the 40th anniversary of the publication of Thomsen’s first book, Living Poor: A Peace Corps Chronicle, the purpose of this edition of Liberarte, published in Spanish and English versions,is to provoke new critical insights on the works of Moritz Thomsen both in Ecuador and abroad.