Carlos Carrión
Born and raised Loja, Ecuador, Carlos Carrión is regarded as the most emblematic “Lojano” of Ecuadorian writers, whose works are regarded as masterpieces of Latin literature for their humanity, humor, sensuality, and irony.
Carrión completed his secondary school studies via night classes at institution known as the “Lions of Loja” before obtaining university degrees in Letters from the Universidad Nacional in Loja and a PhD in Philology (his thesis examined the work of Chilean novelist, José Donoso) from the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, before embarking a career as an academic and literary editor. During his four years in Spain he took visits to London and Paris.
His most well-known work is “The Heart is an Animal in Heat,” ten short stories that deal with existential themes living, being, creating, loving, and forgetting. Another well-regarded effort, the novel “The Desires that Carries Your Name,” a middle-aged professor finds his misogyny challenged when he falls in love with one of his female students.
His numerous awards, both inside and outside Ecuador, include First Prize in Zaragoza, Spain’s Virgen del Carmen literary competition, as well as First Prize in Ecuador for competitions named after Ecuadorian writers José de la Cuadra, Joaquín Gallegos Lara, Miguel Riofrío and Pablo Palacios. In Washington, D.C. Carrión has also been awarded by the Latin Heritiage Foundation.
(Photo courtesy of culturaylojanidad)
Samples of his work translated into English (live links):
The short story, “April Again.”
The short story, “The Beautiful Martin.”
Published Works:
Porque me da la gana (short stories).
La mano izquierda y la derecha enamoradas (poetry).
Ella sigue moviendo las caderas, 1979 (short stories).
Los potros desnudos (short stories).
El más hermoso animal nocturno, 1981 (short stories).
Una muchacha a solas con el viento, 1985 (short stories).
Palabras para una poesía, 1986 (essay).
Técnicas de la novela actual, 1990 (doctoral thesis).
El deseo que lleva tu nombre, 1991 (novel).
Una niña adorada, 1993 (novel).
El corazón es un animal en celo, 1995 (novel).
Una guerra con nombre de mujer, 1996 (novel).
Caballo de papel, 2002 (novel).
De Loja a Roma pasando por donde Maite, 2002 (novel).
Quien me ayuda a matar a mi mujer, 2005 (novel).
La utopía de Madrid (novel).
La mantis religiosa (novel).