Rodolfo Rabanal facts for kids

Rafael Oscar Rabanal (born June 15, 1940 – died November 2, 2020) was an important writer and journalist from Argentina. He worked as a main editor and wrote regular articles for many newspapers and media both in Argentina and other countries.

Rodolfo Rabanal's Career Journey

Rodolfo Rabanal started his career in journalism. He studied some subjects related to humanities but did not finish his degrees. He became a journalist and worked as a reporter, editor, and writer for newspapers. One of his main workplaces was La Nación, a well-known newspaper in Argentina.

Early Achievements and Scholarships

In 1979, Rodolfo received a special scholarship. This allowed him to join the International Writers Workshop at the University of Iowa in the United States. This was a great chance for him to learn and grow as a writer.

In the 1980s, he worked in the government. He was the Assistant Secretary of Culture under President Raúl Alfonsín. This role meant he helped manage cultural activities in Argentina. In 1988, he received another important award called a Guggenheim fellowship. This fellowship helps talented people in arts and sciences.

Awards and Recognition

Rodolfo Rabanal won several awards for his writing. In 1995, he received the Municipal Novel Award. He also won the "club de los 13" prize in 1997. In 1998, his novel Cita en Marruecos won the "Pen Club Argentino" award for the best novel of the year.

His books have been translated into different languages. People in France, England, and Poland can read his stories. In 2010, he was recognized as one of the 200 people who contributed most to culture in Argentina.

First Novels and Popularity

His first novel was called El Apartado (1975). This book made him famous in Argentina. It also won an award from a literary café called Bar-Baró. Many writers think this novel is a classic.

In 1978, his second novel, Un día perfecto, was published. It came out in Barcelona, Spain. This book quickly became very popular. Over thirty thousand copies were sold, which was a lot for that time.

Time Abroad and Return

In 1979, Rodolfo Rabanal received a Fulbright scholarship. This allowed him to go back to the International Writers Workshop in the United States. This scholarship helped him leave Argentina during a time of military rule. His third novel was published in both Argentina and Spain at the same time.

After his time in the United States, he lived in Buenos Aires for almost a year. Then, he moved to Paris, France, with his family. He worked there as a reporter for an Argentine newspaper. Later, he worked as a translator for UNESCO. He also worked for the French Ministry of Culture.

He returned to Buenos Aires in 1984. A year later, his fourth book, El pasajero, was published. During the first ten years of democracy in Argentina, President Raúl Alfonsín named Rabanal the Undersecretary of Culture. This was a very important role in the government.

In 1988, his novel La Vida brillante received a fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation in New York. Years later, this same novel won the Municipal Prize from the city of Buenos Aires.

Later Works and Teaching

Rodolfo Rabanal wrote many other books. Some of his story collections include No vaya a Génova en invierno and Los peligros de la dicha. He also wrote novels like El factor sentimental (1990) and Cita en Marruecos (1995). Cita en Marruecos won an award and was a finalist for another big prize. Other novels include La mujer Rusa (2004) and El héroe sin nombre (2006).

In 2008, he published a book of essays called El roce de Dante. In 2011, he released La Vida Privada. His book La vida Escrita came out in 2014. This book shared his personal notes about being a writer and living in Argentina over twenty years.

He also wrote a travel book called La Costa Bárbara (2000). For younger readers, he wrote a children's novella titled Noche en Gondwana (1988). In the 1990s, he taught literature at the University of Buenos Aires. Rodolfo Rabanal lived in Uruguay for some time.

Rodolfo Rabanal's Books

Here is a list of the books written by Rodolfo Rabanal:

• El apartado (The Section) (1975)
• Un dïa perfecto (A Perfect Day) (1978)
• En otra parte (Elsewhere) (1982)
• El pasajero (The Passenger) (1984)
• No vaya a Génova en invierno (Do not go to Genoa in winter) (1988)
• Noche en Gondwana (Night in Gondwana) (1988)
• El factor sentimental (The sentimental factor) (1990)
• La Vida brillante (Bright Life) (1993)
• Cita en Marruecos (Appointment in Morocco) (1995)
• Los peligros de la dicha (The dangers of happiness) (1999)
• La Costa Bárbara (The Costa Barbara) (2000)
• La mujer Rusa (The Russian woman) (2004)
• El héroe sin nombre (The hero without a name) (2006)
• El roce de Dante (The touch of Dante) (2008)
• La Vida Privada (The private life) (2011)
• La vida Escrita (The written life) (2014)

See also

In Spanish: Rodolfo Rabanal para niños