Daína Chaviano

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Daína Chaviano at the University of Miami , 2008

Daína Chaviano (born February 19, 1957 in Havana ) is a Cuban writer .

Life

Chaviano studied English at the University of Havana and won her first literary prize while still a student. In Cuba, she published several fantasy and science fiction novels and became the best-selling and respected author in her country in these genres. Her prose moves in the realm of the fantastic with the same ease as in traditional literature.

The subjects of her works range from mythology and eroticism through ancient history, sociology and politics to parapsychology and magic, whereby her style is characterized by both poetic and sensual images.

Her most important publications include the cycle “La Habana oculta” (The Hidden Havana), which consists of several novels. Translated into German are El hombre, la hembra y el hambre (Havanna Blues, Lichtenberg 1999, ex. Yasmin Bohrmann) and La isla de los amores infinitos ( island of eternal love , Heyne / Random House 2008, ex. Silke Kleemann).

Island of Eternal Love has been published in 25 languages, making it one of the most translated Cuban novels of all time.

In 1991 Daína Chaviano did not return to Cuba from a trip abroad and settled in the USA , where she worked as a journalist, translator and writer. In 2015, one of her works was published in Cuba for the first time in 25 years, the volume of poems Confesiones eróticas y otros hechizos .

Prizes and awards

  • 2007: Gold medal in the Best Book in Spanish Language category. Florida Book Awards, USA (for Island of Eternal Love )
  • 2004: Guest of Honor at the 25th International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
  • 2003: Premio Goliardos for fantasy novels, Mexico (for memories of an alien grandmother )
  • 1998: Premio Azorín for novels, Spain (for Havana Blues )
  • 1990: Anna Seghers Prize , Academy of Fine Arts, Berlin, Germany (for memories of an extraterrestrial grandmother )
  • 1989: National Prize for Youth Literature "La Edad de Oro" (for País de dragones )
  • 1988: National award "13 de marzo" for the best unpublished film script ( La anunciación )
  • 1979: National Prize for Science Fiction Literature “David” (for Los mundos que amo )

Works (selection)

stories
  • Amoroso planeta . Letras Cubanas, Havana 1982.
  • El abrevadero de los dinosaurios . Letras Cubanas, Havana, 1990.
  • Historias de hadas para adultos . Minotauro, Barcelona 2007, ISBN 978-84-450-7642-2 .
  • Extraños testimonios . Huso, Madrid 2017. ISBN 978-84-946245-4-4
Novels
  • Memories of an extraterrestrial grandmother (“Fábulas de una abuela extraterreste”). Volk und Welt, Berlin, ISBN 3-353-00827-6 (translated by Ulrich Kunzmann).
  • Casa de juegos . Planeta, Barcelona 1999, ISBN 84-08-03066-3 .
  • Havana blues. Roman ("El hombre, la hembra y el hambre"). Droemer Knaur, Munich 2000, ISBN 3-426-61874-5 (translated by Yasmin Bohrmann).
  • Gata encerrada . Editorial Planeta, Barcelona 2001, ISBN 84-08-03879-6 .
  • Island of Eternal Love . Roman ("La isla de los amores infinitos"). Diana Verlag, Munich 2009, ISBN 978-3-453-35404-3 (translated by Silke Kleemann).

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Chaviano, Daína
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Cuban writer
DATE OF BIRTH 19th February 1957
PLACE OF BIRTH Havana , Cuba