Irene Vallejo

Irene Vallejo, born in 1979 in Zaragoza, Spain, is a celebrated author and classical philologist with a European Doctorate from the Universities of Zaragoza and Florence. She is known for her 2019 essay, »El infinito en un junco« (Eng. »Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World«, 2022), a publishing sensation, winner of numerous awards including the National Essay Prize in Spain and the Wenjin Prize from the National Library of China, translated into more than 35 languages. An advocate for classical literature, Vallejo frequently visits educational institutions and contributes to prominent media outlets like El País and Milenio. Her articles were compiled into »Alguien habló de nosotros« (2017, tr: Someone talked about us) and »El futuro recordado« (2020, tr: The future remembered). Among her fictional works are »La luz sepultada« (2011, tr: The buried light), »El silbido del arquero« (2015, tr: The archer’s whistle), which echoes Homer and Virgil, and children’s books like »La leyenda de las mareas mansas« (2023, tr: The legend of the calm tides). Her most recent work is the 2020 »Manifiesto por la Lectura« (tr: Reading Manifesto). Additionally, Vallejo is involved in social projects, bringing art and literature to children’s hospitals.