now on bbc news, it's hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk with me, zeinab badawi. my guest is somebody who can claim to be one of south america's best—known global icons. she knows the continent well. born in peru, raised in chile, she was also schooled in bolivia and has lived in venezuela. isabel allende is not only an acclaimed novelist, she's also known for her political writings. her uncle was salvador allende, the chilean democratic leader who was ousted in a coup by general pinochet in 1973, forcing isabel and herfamily to flee to neighbouring venezuela. her books have been translated into more than a0 languages, including her latest novel, violeta. how does she use her own life to inform her work, and how does she interpret political