Alberto Ruy Sánchez facts for kids
Alberto Ruy-Sánchez Lacy is a Mexican writer and editor. He was born in Mexico City on December 7, 1951. He writes many types of books, including stories, factual books, and poetry.
Since 1988, he has been the main editor and founder of Artes de Mexico. This is a very important arts magazine in Latin America. He has also taught at famous universities like Stanford and La Sorbonne. He has given talks in many countries around the world. Many well-known writers have praised his work. He has also won many international awards.
Contents
Early Life
Alberto Ruy-Sánchez's parents were from the northern Mexican state of Sonora. Alberto was the first of five children. For some years, his family spent half the year in Mexico City. They spent the other half in northern Mexico.
This included living in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora and Villa Constitución. These places are in the Baja California desert. Alberto lived there from age three to five. This early experience gave him a special connection with the desert.
Journey to Morocco
Alberto had forgotten his early childhood memories. But he suddenly remembered them in 1975. This happened when he visited the Sahara desert for the first time.
This memory helped him create a special link with the Moroccan desert. Especially with the old city of Essaouira, also known as Mogador. This city became a main setting for most of his novels.
Inspirations
Before going to Morocco, Alberto studied at Jesuit schools in Mexico. From these schools, he learned to see the world as a complex place. He learned that you can understand and enjoy it using all your senses. This idea of "listening with your eyes" or "tasting with your smell" is often found in his writing.
His large family in Sonora moved to Mexico City. They had weekly meetings where Alberto loved hearing and telling stories. This is where he first felt he wanted to be a writer. This feeling grew stronger when he visited the Djemaa el Fna square in Marrakech in 1975 and 1976. This square is famous for its traditional storytellers. It was even named a UNESCO Oral Human Heritage Site.
The Theme of Search
The idea of "searching" is important in Ruy-Sánchez's novels. He uses his books to search for knowledge. He explores life's mysteries and things beyond what we can see.
He started writing to understand women's desires. He listened to their stories and what he saw. This led to his novel Mogador, the names of the air. This book became part of a series. The series includes En los labios del agua, Los Jardines secretos de Mogador, and Nueve veces el asombro.
This series took almost twenty years to write. Each book he published received many letters, mostly from women. They shared their own stories of desire. Ruy-Sánchez would use these stories to create new books. This kept his "search" theme going.
While living in Paris, Ruy-Sánchez also studied and taught tantra. He describes his books as "objects" that can help people think, feel, and improve their lives.
Awards and Current Life
Alberto Ruy-Sánchez's books have been translated into many languages. These include French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Arabic, Serbian, and Turkish. Only one of his books has been published in English. His Spanish books are still popular, which is unusual for poetry.
In 1987, he won the Xavier Villaurrutia Prize. This is the most important literary award in Mexico. He also received awards from the University of New Mexico and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. In 2000, the French Government honored him as an Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He also received the "Kentucky Colonel" award in the USA.
From 1999 to 2003, he led a writing program in Canada. In 2006, he won the Premio Juan Pablos al Mérito Editorial. This award recognized his 26 years as an editor. It especially honored his work in creating Artes de México. This publishing house is a leading cultural project in the Americas.
Ruy-Sánchez lives in Mexico City with his wife, Margarita De Orellana. She is also an editor for Artes de México. They have two children, Andrea and Santiago. He continues to travel and speak internationally. He also researches different Mexican cultures.
Awards
- 1987, Premio Xavier Villaurrutia for Los nombres del aire.
- 1988, Fellowship, John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, New York.
- 1991, José Fuentes Mares National Prize for Literature for Una introducción a Octavio Paz.
- 1993, Honorary Member of the Sistema Nacional de Creadores, Mexico.
- 1998, Honorary Citizen of Louisville, Kentucky.
- 1999, Kentucky Colonel, by the Governor of Kentucky.
- 2000, Prix des Trois Continents, for the French edition of En los labios del agua.
- 2001, Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, by the French Government.
- 2003, Premio Cálamo, by Librería Cálamo and the Universidad de Zaragoza for Los Jardines Secretos de Mogador, Spain.
- 2005, Gran Orden de Honor Nacional al Mérito Autoral. By the Instituto Nacional del Derecho de Autor. Mexico.
- 2006, Premio Juan Pablos al Mérito Editorial. By the Cámara Nacional de la Industria Editorial Mexicana (CANAIEM). Mexico.
- 2014, Premio Las Pérgolas. Awarded by the Mexican Booksellers Association.
- 2015, Premio ELENA PONIATOWSKA, Chicago. Awarded by the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEXICAN ARTS.
- 2017, Premio Nacional de Ciencias y Artes 2017. This is the highest honor given by the Mexican state.
- 2018, Premio Mazatlán de Literatura. For the novel Los sueños de la serpiente.
- 2018, Doctorado Honoris Causa. Awarded by the Centro Universitario de Integración Humanística.
See Also
In Spanish: Alberto Ruy Sánchez para niños
