(Ondarroa, 1970) One of the most widely read and translated authors in the Basque language. He studied Basque Language at the University of the Basque Country in Vitoria-Gasteiz and took a postgraduate degree in Comparative Literature in Trento (Italy). His first novel, Bilbao-New York-Bilbao (2010), won the National Fiction Prize in 2009 and made his work much sought after by publishers, being translated into fifteen languages. It was chosen in the United Kingdom as one of the fifteen best books of the year by Foyles bookshops. Previously, his poetry book Meanwhile Take My Hand (2004) had obtained critical and popular recognition (Critics’ Award for Basque Literature, and published in Basque, Spanish and English). His latest novel, Elkarrekin esnatzeko ordua (2016), is his most ambitious work so far. He has been a guest at major universities such as Stanford, Chicago, Oxford, UCSD, NYU and WUSTL, where he will give the 2017 Massie Lectures. His texts have appeared in publications such as The New Yorker, El País and Berria.
Photo: © Ricky Davila