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Enrique Vila-Matas (Barcelona, 1948) is one of the most prestigious and original writers in contemporary Spanish fiction. With an extensive body of work, his novels have been translated into 35 languages, garnering widespread international praise.

He is the recipient of many prestigious honors and awards such as Rómulo Gallegos Award 2001Prix Fernando Aguirre-Libralire 2002Herralde Novel Award 2003Prix Médicis 2003Ennio Flaiano Award 2006Elsa Morante Literary Prize 2007Mondello Award 2009Prix Carrière 2010the Bottari Lattès Grinzane 2011Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres de France 2013the Formentor Prize 2014, the prestigious FIL Award 2015, the Catalan Culture National Award 2016, the Feronia Città di Fiano Award 2017 and the Prix Ulysse (2017). He was named Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, is a member of the tumultuous Order of Finnegan’s and is the (unknown) rector of the Unknown University of New York (McNally Jackson). Among his works one should not fail to mention: Historia abreviada de la literatura portátil (Anagrama, 1985 – Debolsillo, 2015), El viajero más lento (Anagrama, 1992 – Seix Barral, 2011), Bartleby y compañía (Anagrama, 2000 – Debolsillo, 2016), El mal de Montano (Anagrama, 2002 – Debolsillo, 2013), París no se acaba nunca (Anagrama, 2004 – Seix Barral, 2013), Doctor Pasavento (Anagrama, 2005 – Seix Barral, 2017), Dublinesca (Seix Barral, 2010), Aire de Dylan (Seix Barral, 2012), Kassel no invita a la lógica (Seix Barral, 2014) and Mac y su contratiempo (Seix Barral, 2017).

He has also published several works about the nature of art and creation: Marienbad Éléctrique (Bourgois, 2015), a short essay on the nature of art and creation for Dominique Gonzalez Foerster’s retrospective in Paris in 2015, the collection of articles Impón tu suerte (Círculo de tiza, 2018) and, more recently, Cabinet d´amateur, an oblique novel (Whitechapel Gallery, 2019) about his experience as a curator for the London based Whitechapel Gallery.

In 2019 he published the celebrated novel Esta bruma insensata (Seix Barral, 2019) and in 2022 he returns with his best novel yet Montevideo (Seix Barral, 2022).


👁‍🗨 «A Catalan writer who is arguably Spains most significant contemporary literary figure.»  Joanna Skavenna, The New Yorker

© Paula de Parma

Enrique VILA-MATAS


© Paula de Parma

Enrique Vila-Matas (Barcelona, 1948) is one of the most prestigious and original writers in contemporary Spanish fiction. With an extensive body of work, his novels have been translated into 35 languages, garnering widespread international praise.

He is the recipient of many prestigious honors and awards such as Rómulo Gallegos Award 2001Prix Fernando Aguirre-Libralire 2002Herralde Novel Award 2003Prix Médicis 2003Ennio Flaiano Award 2006Elsa Morante Literary Prize 2007Mondello Award 2009Prix Carrière 2010the Bottari Lattès Grinzane 2011Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres de France 2013the Formentor Prize 2014, the prestigious FIL Award 2015, the Catalan Culture National Award 2016, the Feronia Città di Fiano Award 2017 and the Prix Ulysse (2017). He was named Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, is a member of the tumultuous Order of Finnegan’s and is the (unknown) rector of the Unknown University of New York (McNally Jackson). Among his works one should not fail to mention: Historia abreviada de la literatura portátil (Anagrama, 1985 – Debolsillo, 2015), El viajero más lento (Anagrama, 1992 – Seix Barral, 2011), Bartleby y compañía (Anagrama, 2000 – Debolsillo, 2016), El mal de Montano (Anagrama, 2002 – Debolsillo, 2013), París no se acaba nunca (Anagrama, 2004 – Seix Barral, 2013), Doctor Pasavento (Anagrama, 2005 – Seix Barral, 2017), Dublinesca (Seix Barral, 2010), Aire de Dylan (Seix Barral, 2012), Kassel no invita a la lógica (Seix Barral, 2014) and Mac y su contratiempo (Seix Barral, 2017).

He has also published several works about the nature of art and creation: Marienbad Éléctrique (Bourgois, 2015), a short essay on the nature of art and creation for Dominique Gonzalez Foerster’s retrospective in Paris in 2015, the collection of articles Impón tu suerte (Círculo de tiza, 2018) and, more recently, Cabinet d´amateur, an oblique novel (Whitechapel Gallery, 2019) about his experience as a curator for the London based Whitechapel Gallery.

In 2019 he published the celebrated novel Esta bruma insensata (Seix Barral, 2019) and in 2022 he returns with his best novel yet Montevideo (Seix Barral, 2022).


👁‍🗨 «A Catalan writer who is arguably Spains most significant contemporary literary figure.»  Joanna Skavenna, The New Yorker

Montevideo

Montevideo | Seix-Barral, 2022

Esta bruma insensata

This Senseless Fog | Seix Barral, 2019

Cabinet d’amateur, an oblique novel

Cabinet d'Amateur, an Oblique Novel | Whitechapel, 2019

Impón tu suerte

Try Your Luck | Círculo de Tiza, 2018

Mac y su contratiempo

Mac's Problem | Seix Barral, 2017

Marienbad eléctrico

Marienbad Electric | Seix Barral, 2016

Kassel no invita a la lógica

Kassel Does Not Call For Logic | Seix Barral, 2014

Niña

Girl | Alfaguara Infantil, 2013

Fuera de aquí

Away From Here | Galaxia Gutenberg, 2013

Aire de Dylan

Dylan's Air | Seix Barral, 2012

Hijos sin hijos

Children without Children | Anagrama, 1993; PRH/DeBolsillo, 2012

Una vida absolutamente maravillosa. Ensayos selectos

An Absolutely Wonderful Life. Selected Essays | PRH/Debolsillo, 2011

El viajero más lento. El arte de no terminar nada

The slowest traveller. The art of finishing nothing | Anagram, 1992; Seix Barral, 2011

Chet Baker piensa en su arte. Relatos selectos

Chet Baker thinks about his art | RHM - DEBOLSILLO, 2011

En un lugar solitario. Narrativa 1973-1984

In a Lonely Place | RHM - DEBOLSILLO, 2011

Dublinesca

Dublinesque | Seix Barral, 2010; Debolsillo, 2011

Perder teorías

Losing Theories | Seix Barral, 2010. Colección Únicos

Ella era Hemingway / No soy Auster

She was Hemingway, I’m not Auster | Alfabia, 2008

Dietario Voluble

Volatile Diary | Anagrama, 2008; PRH/DeBolsillo, 2016

Exploradores del abismo

Explorers in the Abyss | Anagrama, 2007

Doctor Pasavento + Bastian Schneider

Doctor Pasavento + Bastian Schneider | Anagrama, 2005; PRH/DeBolsillo, 2016; Seix Barral, 2017

El viento ligero en Parma

Light Wind in Parma | México, Sexto Piso, 2004 / España, 2008

París no se acaba nunca

Paris Never Ends | Anagrama, 2004; Seix Barral, 2013; PRH/DeBolsillo, 2014

El mal de Montano

Montano’s Malady | Anagrama, 2002; Seix Barral, 2012; PRH/DeBolsillo, 2013

Bartleby y compañía

Bartleby & Co | Anagrama, 2000; Seix Barral, 2015; PRH/DeBolsillo, 2016

Desde la ciudad nerviosa

From the Restless City | Alfaguara, 2000

El viaje vertical

The Vertical Journey | Anagrama, 1999

Para acabar con los números redondos

In Order to End Up with Round Numbers | Pre-Textos, 1997

Extraña forma de vida

Strange Way of Life | Anagrama, 1997; PRH/DeBolsillo, 2013

Lejos de Veracruz

A Long Way from Veracruz | Anagrama, 1995; PRH/DeBolsillo, 2011

Recuerdos inventados

Invented memories | Anagrama, 1994; Compactos, 2007

Suicidios ejemplares

Exemplary Suicides | Anagrama, 1991; PRH/DeBolsillo, 2015

Una casa para siempre

A House For Ever | Anagrama, 1988 / Compactos, 2002

Historia abreviada de la literatura portátil

A Brief History of Portable Literature | Anagrama, 1985; PRH-DeBolsillo, 2015

Impostura

Imposture | Anagrama, 1984

La asesina ilustrada

An Enlightened Murderess | Tusquets, 1977 / Lengua de Trapo, 1996 / Lumen, illustrated edition, 2005