Daniel Chavarria is known to have lived an adventurous life. He has been working as miner in Essen, model in Colonia, guide at the Prado Museum in Madrid, washing dishes in Paris, amongs the other occupations. He has disguided himself as monk, too.

After the coup in Brasil in '64 (where he was living at the time), he runs away to work amongst gold seekers in Amazonia.

Later on, he will arrive to Cuba hijacking a small plane for which he had paid all the tickets. In Cuba, he has been working as translator and teacher of Latin and Greek, before starting his career as writer.

Chavarria is writing within the Latin-American tradition of political writers, as Gabriel Garcia Marquez - but with a more optimistic and fresh spirit, not dissimilar from the one of Luis Sepulveda and Paco Ignacio Taibo II.

Chavarria books are strongly critical of the violence of Fascism.

He mentions as childhood readings Jules Verne, Emilio Salgari and Alexandre Dumas, and their influence can be clearly seen in his writing. In Tango for a Torturer, for example, is clear the influence of The Count of Monte Cristo.

Chavarria life and writings clearly show his communist and revolutionary background.

He is a known supporter of the Cuban Revolution.

Joy:

• "Aniversario de la Revolución", La Habana, 1975.
• "Capitán San Luis", 1978.

The 6th island:

• "Premio de la Crítica", La Habana.

Allá ellos:

• "Dashiell Hammett Award", Gijón, 1992.

The Eye of Cybele:

• "Planeta-Joaquín Mortiz", México, 1993.
• "Educación y Cultura", Montevideo, 1994.
• "Ennio Flaiano", Pescara, 1998.
• "Premio de la Crítica", La Habana.

Adiós Muchachos:

• "Edgar Allan Poe Award", New York, 2002, Mystery Writers of America.

Tango for a Torturer:

• "Premio Casa de las Américas", La Habana, 2000.
• "Premio de la Crítica", La Habana.

Viudas de sangre:

• "Premio Alejo Carpentier", La Habana, 2004.