Marcelo Báez

Marcelo Rafael Báez Meza (Guayaquil, April 24, 1969) is an Ecuadorian poet, novelist, translator, and film critic. He has earned a myriad of awards for his books. He won first place in the National Literature Contest of the House of Ecuadorian Culture on three occasions (1997, 2005 and 2013). His prize-winning novels include “Catador de arenas” (2010) and “Nunca más Amarilis” (2018). In 2012 his poetry book “El mismo mar de todas Las Habanas” won the Aurelio Espinosa Pólit Prize. He is currently the dean of the Art, Design and Audiovisual Communication Department of the Superior Polytechnic School of the Littoral (ESPOL) in Guayaquil.

Continue reading “Marcelo Báez”

Carlos Benavides Vega

Carlos Benavides Vega, pseudonym: Álvaro San Félix (Guayaquil, March 9, 1931 – Quito, September 29, 1999) was an Ecuadorian poet, actor and playwright. He was a member of Club 7, a Guayaquil-based poets’ group founded in the 1950s. In 1954, Benavides was among one of five members who together published a poetry collection titled “Club 7.” He was a pioneer of historical drama, authoring the plays, “La herida de Dios” (1978; winner of the Aurelio Espinosa Pólit Prize) about Gabriel Garcia Moreno, “Espejo, elias Chushig” (1979), and “Caudillos en llamas” (1980). He also co-wrote “Una loca Estrella,” a historical play about Manuelita Sáenz, with Pedro Saad Herrería.

Continue reading “Carlos Benavides Vega”

Hans Behr

Hans Behr Martínez (Guayaquil, October 31, 1962) is an award-winning Ecuadorian novelist, short story writer, and children’s literature author. In 1999, his novel “Los senderos de Emaús” won the national literature contest organized by the House of Ecuadorian Culture. In 2009, his novel “Maratón” (originally titled Acaso si lloviese) won the Aurelio Espinosa Pólit Prize. In 2014 his novel “Las luces de la felicidad” won the Ángel Felicísimo Rojas National Literature Contest. In 2020, his science fiction novel “Firmamento” won the La Linares Short Novel Prize.

Continue reading “Hans Behr”

Andrea Crespo

Andrea Priscila Crespo Granda (Guayaquil, October 4, 1983) is an Ecuadorian poet. In 2016 her book of poetry “Registro de la habitada” was awarded the Aurelio Espinosa Pólit Prize. In 2017 her next book of poetry “Libro Hémbrico” won the House of Ecuadorian Culture’s David Ledesma Vásquez National Poetry Contest. She currently teaches at the University of the Arts in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Continue reading “Andrea Crespo”

José de la Cuadra

José de la Cuadra Vargas (September 3, 1903 – February 27, 1941) is considered one of Ecuador’s greatest authors. De la Cuadra was a social realist novelist who wrote the short story La Tigra (1932) and the novel Los Sangurimas (1939). He was a part of the “Guayaquil Group,” a group of young social protest novelists from Guayaquil, Ecuador, in the 1930s, which included Enrique Gil Gilbert, Demetrio Aguilera Malta, Joaqun Gallegos Lara, and Alfredo Pareja Diezcanseco.

Continue reading “José de la Cuadra”

Demetrio Aguilera Malta

Demetrio Aguilera Malta (Guayaquil, May 24, 1909 – Mexico, December 28, 1981) was a multi-talented artist and diplomat born on May 24, 1909, in Guayaquil, who excelled in various fields such as novel writing, short stories, painting, film making, and playwriting. He gained prominence with his book of short stories “Los que se van: cuentos del cholo y del montubio” in 1930, co-authored with Joaquín Gallegos Lara and Enrique Gil Gilbert. Some of his other noteworthy works include the novels “Don Goyo” (1933), “Seven Serpents and Seven Moons” (1970) which was translated into English by Gregory Rabassa, and “El secuestro del General” (1973). In 1981, he was awarded the Premio Eugenio Espejo, the highest literary honor in the country.

Continue reading “Demetrio Aguilera Malta”