A University of Queensland lecturer has broken new literary ground as the first Australian scholar to have a book launched at the prestigious Argentine Academy of Letters.
UQ Latin American expert and lecturer in Spanish Dr Roberto Esposto, has had his book launched in Buenos Aires.
The book Abel Posse, Senderos de un caminante solitariois is in Spanish and was published by Editorial Biblos, Buenos Aires. The English translation for the title is Paths of a Solitary Walker.
Dr Esposto said it was an honour to have his work recognised by the Argentine Academy of Letters.
“The Academy traditionally only publishes and launches books that are written by their members, and this was the first time they have launched a book by an outside author and publisher,” Dr Esposto said.
He said the launch recognised the the work being done in Latin American studies by hispanists (experts who study literature in Spanish) at UQ and throughout Australia.
“The book launch also provided an important opportunity to establish greater relationships with academia in Argentina and South America.”
Paths of a Solitary Walker is Dr Esposto’s second book about Latin American writer Abel Posse, a former career diplomat.
“The development of Posse’s first two novels was very cosmopolitan, very Eurocentric, and they were set in Europe, where his diplomatic missions were,” Dr Esposto said.
“My initial idea was to map out his trajectory from being a writer with a European outlook to one who was more Latin American as there was a dramatic change in his outlook formation after he was stationed in Peru in late 60s and early 70s.”
Buenos Aires based Posse was admitted to the Argentine Academy of Letters in November last year.
The Academy was founded in 1931 and, like the Royal Spanish Academy of the Spanish Language, lettered membership is by invitation.
The book launch took place on 16 July.
Media contact: Dr Roberto Esposto, UQ School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies (SLCCS), +61 7 33665 7990; Ms Lynda Flower, SLCCS Communications, +61 7 33665 6247.
