Gabriel García Márquez was a Colombian novelist, short story writer, and journalist, born on March 6, 1927. He is best known for his influential works in the genre of magical realism, which blends fantastical elements with realistic settings. His most famous novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude, tells the multi-generational story of the Buendía family in the fictional town of Macondo. García Márquez received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982 for his contributions to literature, particularly for his ability to weave complex narratives that explore themes of love, solitude, and the human experience. He passed away on April 17, 2014, leaving a lasting legacy in world literature.