Juan Goytisolo is a Catalonian author and intellectual, born in 1931. His vast work includes novels, short stories, travel literature, essays, reports and poetry. Considered one of the most important Spanish fiction writers in the second half of the 20th century, he often works for the press, specifically as a columnist for El País. Born within an aristocratic family, he opposed Franco’s dictatorship, which censored his first works. He left Spain at the age of 25 and went into exile in France, where he studied Law and worked as editorial consultant for Gallimard. He lived in the USA as well, where he taught Literature. Known for his unorthodox political stands – he has been a critical voice within the Spanish culture for a long time – he moved to Marrakesh in 1996. Among countless literary awards, he received the Cervantes Prize in 2014, and he has recently left two unpublished manuscripts in the Cervantes Institute, which will not be made public until 2031.
Juan Goytisolo
Writer
