Daniel del Real
29-Aug-2011, 19:16
This award is probably the second most important in "Spanish" language after the Cervantes Prize. Why do I write it between quoation marks? Because contrary to the Cervantes Prize, this one can be awarded to authors writing in Romance languages (French, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian etc). Formerly known as Premio Juan Rulfo, originally could only award writers in Spanish language, but four years ago they amplified the scope to writers in Romance languages. I thought it was a very good decision that was confirmed when they chose Antonio Lobo Antunes the first year; but after that, they keep missing big authors in French and Italian specifically in order to give it to minor Latin American authors like Venezuelan Poet Rafael Cadenas and Mexican Margo Glantz.
This year they improve a little bit with Fernando Vallejo but still is a poor choice judging for what the left on the table. I mean, Vallejos is a very interesting character, hilarous, sardonic, caustic, bleak, always with the biting commentary to the fact. Whenever you hear him talking he always brings the insidious comment that leaves you thinking and the smile full of dark humor. However I find his narrative plain and his thinking too visceral at times. It's not the fact he is too bleak, it is that he rants about everything without a proper supporting thesis and contradicting himself every time. Things like "he is a vegetarina because he is against animal cruelty but he feeds his dogs with chicken".
A very quaint personality in the literary establishment always complaining about his publishing houses, editors, correctors and even about his readers. However he is a very down-to-earth guy, contrary on what you might think after hearing him rant about everything. Last year I went to him to sign me a book and he was a very nice and happy to be rounded by people.
So, to summarize, good for him, bad for the Prize. I can't stop thinking that Amin Maalouf, Mia Couto or Antonio Tabucchi could have been in my city if been awarded wit this Prize.
This year they improve a little bit with Fernando Vallejo but still is a poor choice judging for what the left on the table. I mean, Vallejos is a very interesting character, hilarous, sardonic, caustic, bleak, always with the biting commentary to the fact. Whenever you hear him talking he always brings the insidious comment that leaves you thinking and the smile full of dark humor. However I find his narrative plain and his thinking too visceral at times. It's not the fact he is too bleak, it is that he rants about everything without a proper supporting thesis and contradicting himself every time. Things like "he is a vegetarina because he is against animal cruelty but he feeds his dogs with chicken".
A very quaint personality in the literary establishment always complaining about his publishing houses, editors, correctors and even about his readers. However he is a very down-to-earth guy, contrary on what you might think after hearing him rant about everything. Last year I went to him to sign me a book and he was a very nice and happy to be rounded by people.
So, to summarize, good for him, bad for the Prize. I can't stop thinking that Amin Maalouf, Mia Couto or Antonio Tabucchi could have been in my city if been awarded wit this Prize.