Leonardo Padura, a graduate of the Latin American Literature program at the University of Havana, is positioned as one of the most prominent figures in contemporary Spanish literature. His literary career began in cultural journalism, collaborating with renowned magazines such as El Caimán Barbudo and Juventud Rebelde.
His first novel, "Fever of Horses" (1983), marked the beginning of a prolific career that would catapult him to fame. In Padura's work, Havana comes to life, becoming the central stage for both historically significant and fictional events of universal relevance.
In his most recent novel, "Going to Havana," Padura immerses us in an autobiographical journey through the most emblematic corners of the Cuban capital. He reflects on his own life and the history of the island since 1959, the year of the start of the Cuban Revolution.
At a cultural event scheduled for February 26 at 6 PM in the Miguel Covarrubias Room of the University Cultural Center, Padura will give the talk "Havana, Trotsky, and Other Things: Padura at UNAM," where he will delve into the city that has been his muse and his work "The Man Who Loved Dogs," which celebrates 15 years since its publication.
With a career awarded the 2015 Princess of Asturias Award for Literature, and three-time winner of the Hammett Prize, Padura returns to UNAM to share details about his most recent work, "Going to Havana," as well as to celebrate the anniversary of "The Man Who Loved Dogs."
For 40 years, Havana has been the creative and working epicenter for Padura, author of recognized works such as "The Man Who Loved Dogs," "Autumn Landscape," and "Mist of Yesterday." In the Mantilla neighborhood, a young Padura began his journey as a writer.
The event, sponsored by the José Emilio Pacheco Chair of the Department of Literature and Promotion of Reading, will feature the presence of writer Rosa Beltrán, coordinator of Cultural Dissemination at UNAM.
