Cultural activities

Writing the Invisible: Gender, Memory, and Noir Fiction. Closing Event of the Spanish Book Fair

Writing the Invisible: Gender, Memory, and Noir Fiction. Closing Event of the Spanish Book Fair El Beisman

Join us for the closing event of the Chicago Spanish Book Fair: an exclusive dialogue between two acclaimed authors, Rosa Ribas and Sylvia Aguilar Zéleny, moderated by Carolina Herrera. This special conversation will offer an intimate look into their literary journeys and creative processes, while delving into key themes such as memory, gender, and cultural legacy. Rosa Ribas, renowned for her psychological depth and mastery of crime fiction, will share how her narratives weave together emotional complexity, social critique, and historical insight—transforming intrigue into a powerful vehicle for reflection. Sylvia Aguilar Zéleny, a bold and feminist voice in Latin American literature, will offer her perspective on storytelling as a form of resistance—one that centers LGBTQ+ lives and the experiences of women in marginalized communities. The conversation will be moderated by Carolina Herrera, writer, translator, and literary critic, who will guide the discussion as the authors explore the intersections of their work. Despite their distinct backgrounds, both writers use fiction as a means of preserving memory and advancing social justice—turning the act of writing into an instrument of visibility and transformation. Rosa Ribas (Barcelona, 1963) is a Spanish writer and columnist who has spent much of her career in Germany, where she has lived since 1991. She holds a PhD in Hispanic Philology from the University of Barcelona and has taught at Goethe University in Frankfurt and at the University of Heilbronn. An author of crime, historical, and contemporary fiction, she made her debut in 2006 with El pintor de Flandes. She is best known for the series featuring Commissar Cornelia Weber-Tejedor and for the Trilogía de los años oscuros (Trilogy of the Dark Years), co-written with Sabine Hofmann, set in the post-Spanish Civil War era. Her works have been translated into several languages and widely praised by critics. In recent years, she has gained prominence with the series featuring detectives Hernández, starting with Un asunto demasiado familiar (2019), followed by Los buenos hijos (2021), Nuestros muertos (2023), and Los viejos amores (2024). The latter has been especially praised for its endearing portrayal of real-life conflicts faced by ordinary people, as noted by El País, which described it as "a detective novel about people like us." Ribas has also explored other genres in works such as Pensión Leonardo, La detective miope, Miss Fifty, and Lejos. Her narrative is characterized by psychological depth, social sensitivity, and a sharp sense of humor. Sylvia Aguilar Zéleny is a queer, feminist writer from Mexico. She holds a degree in Literature from the University of Sonora, a Master’s in Humanistic Studies from ITESM, and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas at El Paso, where she currently teaches. Her work explores themes of identity, gender, and social justice, focusing on marginalized experiences, especially those of LGBTQ+ individuals and women in Latinx communities. Her books include Mujer que sabe latín and Los cuerpos de agua. As an academic, she combines her commitment to feminist and queer theories with her passion for creative writing and literary analysis. Carolina Herrera, who will moderate the conversation, is a writer, translator, and cultural critic originally from Monterrey, Mexico. She is the author of the novels #Mujer que piensa (ILBA First Prize, 2016) and Flor de un árbol raro (ILBA First Prize, 2021), and co-editor of #NiLocasNiSolas: Narrativa escrita por mujeres en Estados Unidos (2023). She has translated numerous scripts and TV series, taught at Northern Illinois University and Waubonsee Community College, and currently serves as Director of Operations at Interprenet in Chicago.

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