Fiction, drama and essay writer, Donald Richard “Don” DeLillo (1936, USA) is the eldest son of an Italian family. Literature didn’t become an interest, nor writing a passion to pursue, for him until the end of his adolescence, spent on the Bronx streets. One time, he recalled how important the title of his first book was – Americana. His books are also a voice that DeLillo understands as necessarily marginal – an energy that was born in the country inland, and then assailed it and shaped it.
After the initial appreciation within the academic channel, came the enthusiastic acknowledgement from critics and a good reception from the public, which turned DeLillo into an author who is read all over the world and one of the maximum exponents of contemporary American literature – Harold Bloom was one of the first critics to assign him that epithet. He is also, of course, one of the most influential names, not only in the literary domain, but even for pop culture as well. Along with authors such as Hemingway, Faulkner and Joyce, or jazz music, cinema is an important influence on his works.
The awards and nominations he has received are countless. They include the National Book Award, the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Inaugural Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, the Pullitzer (finalist) and the inclusion of his book Underworld among the top three novels of the last 25 years, by the New York Times Book review.
AT THE FESTIVAL
COSMOPOLIS
November 23rd, 9.30
Centro Cultural Olga Cadaval