Rosario Traducciones continues to travel through world literature. This time, we will revisit the most prolific country, Mexico, to learn about some of its most famous authors.
Mexico is one of the most densely populated countries, with nearly 125 million people. In addition to Spanish, 69 indigenous languages are spoken in Mexico, many of which have their dialects. This makes it one of the most linguistically diverse countries with the most significant number of people who speak Amerindian languages in America.
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1) Juan Rulfo, the most translated author
Juan Carlos Pérez Rulfo was a Mexican writer, screenwriter, and photographer, a benchmark for the so-called generation of '52. He is considered one of the most important Hispanic-American writers of the 20th century.
His first novel, Pedro Páramo, is the most translated book in Mexico (35 languages). First published in 1955 by the Economic Cultural Fund, it is part of the revolutionary novel genre. Given the use of magical realism, it is considered one of the pioneers of the Latin American boom and one of the most important books in Spanish literature.
2) Octavio Paz, Nobel Prize in Literature
Octavio Paz was a poet, essay writer, author, and diplomat. He is one of the most prestigious Mexican authors of the second half of the 20th century, achieving international recognition. His work — especially poems, essays, and translations — has been translated into over 32 languages, including English, French, Italian, Chinese, Ukrainian, and Japanese, to name a few.
The career of the only Mexican author to win the Nobel Prize in Literature (1990) began with Mar de día, his first poem, published in 1931. With the essay The Labyrinth of Solitude, he reached international fame.
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3) Laura Esquivel, Mexican magical realism
When everyone thought that magical realism was over, the 80s ended with the publication of one of the greatest literary works of Mexican letters by Laura Esquivel.
Set in the state of Coahuila amid the Mexican Revolution, Like Water for Chocolate tells the romantic story between Tita, condemned to take care of her parents like every young daughter, and Pedro. He is granted the blessing of Tita’s sister, Rosaura, hand in marriage. The novel pictures Mexican bonfires, flavors, and dishes to illustrate romance in metaphors.
Laura utilizes Mexican cuisine to depict the protagonists’ feelings and emotions. This first novel by Laura Esquivel became a true bestseller in the 80s and 90s, was translated into more than 30 languages, and was even adapted into a movie.
4) Carlos Fuentes: A prophet in his own land and abroad
Carlos Fuentes is considered one of the most renowned authors of Mexican and Latin American literature. Recognized as part of the Latin American boom, his novels include La región más transparente (Where the Air Is Clear), The Death of Artemio Cruz, Aura, A Change of Skin, and Terra Nostra; and his essays include The New Hispano-American Novel, Cervantes, o La crítica a la Lectura (Don Quixote or The Critique of Reading), Buried Mirror (which was published simultaneously in Spanish and English), and Geography of the Novel, and The Great Latin American Novel.
He received awards such as the Rómulo Gallegos Prize in 1977, the Miguel de Cervantes Prize in 1987, and the Prince of Asturias Award for Literature in 1994. Until his passing, he was considered a candidate for the Nobel Prize for Literature by a sector of the public and literary critics.
5) Guillermo Arriaga, from book to movie
Guillermo Arriaga is a Mexican author, screenwriter, producer, and film director, mainly known for writing movie scripts.
Together with Alejandro González Iñárritu, a renowned film director, they planned three short stories showing the contradictions of life in Mexico City. After three years and 36 drafts, these were extended to become the feature film Amores Perros (2000), which shows the darkest side of Mexican life. The film was nominated for an Oscar (Best Foreign Film) in 2001; a BAFTA Film Award for "Best Film not in the English Language” in 2002; the "Critics Week Grand Prize" and "Young Critics Award" at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival, and many other awards worldwide.
Following the success of Amores Perros, Universal/Focus invited Arriaga and González Iñárritu to make 21 Grams, starring Benicio Del Toro, Naomi Watts, and Sean Penn. They collaborated on a third movie, Babel, which forms a trilogy with the previous two focusing on death-related topics.
