Marcos Aguinis
Encyclopedia
Marcos Aguinis is an Argentine
psychiatrist, writer and columnist.
, in 1935 the son of a Romania
n Jewish immigrant. Aguinis relocated to Spain
in the 1960s, where he was awarded the Planeta Award, returned to Argentina in 1981, and when democracy was reinstated in Argentina in December 1983, Aguinis received a doctorate in psychiatry from the National University of Córdoba
, was designated by President Raúl Alfonsín
Undersecretary of Culture to playwright Carlos Gorostiza
and, upon the latter's resignation in 1987, became Secretary of Culture; in this capacity, he sponsored the renowned "cultural renaissance" that flourished in the country at the time. He created the National Program for Democratization of Culture (PRONDEC), sponsored by UNESCO
and the United Nations
. Aguinis promoted intense action towards participation activities aimed at raising individual awareness of the rights, duties and potentialities that a true democracy supports. His life's work was recognized with a nomination for UNESCO Education for Peace Award.
Aguinis is an author with international training in medicine, psychoanalysis, the arts, literature, and history. He writes: "Not only have I traveled the world, but I also journeyed through different professions." He published his first book in 1963, and since then he has written eight novels, ten essay collections, four short story collections, and two biographies, which have generated enthusiasm and controversy.
All his recent books have become best-sellers. Aguinis has thousands of fans who recommend, discuss, and collect his books. He has written articles on a wide variety of topics for Latin American, U.S. and European newspapers and magazines. Marcos Aguinis has given hundreds of lectures and seminars at educational, artistic, scientific and political organizations in Germany
, Spain
, the U.S., Israel
, Russia
, Italy
and practically every Latin American country.
In the field of human rights, he risked his life by courageously addressing controversial issues. During the last dictatorship, the government rectricted circulation of his books, but some of them were successfully smuggled. Many of his readers admire his prophetic vision of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the internal struggles within the Catholic Church, the authoritarian political trends, and the resurgence of ethnic and religious fundamentalism.
Aguinis has been awarded the Planeta Award (Spain) in 1970, an Honorable Commendation from the Association of Argentine Authors, the Reforma Universitaria Award (La Plata University), the Fernando Jeno Award (México
), the Distinguished Cultural Award (Academy of Arts and Communication Sciences, Argentina), the National Sociology Award, the Lobo de Mar Award, the Swami Pranavananda Award, the Annual Silver Plaque of the EFE Agency , awarded for his contribution to the consolidation of the Iberoamerican language and culture; in France, he was given the title of Knight of Letters and Arts. He received the Argentine Association of Authors Great Honorable Award for his life's work in 1995, as well as Honorary Doctorate degrees from the National University of San Luis
, Argentina (2000) and Tel Aviv University
(2002).
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
psychiatrist, writer and columnist.
Background
Marcos Aguinis was born in Córdoba, ArgentinaCórdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
, in 1935 the son of a Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n Jewish immigrant. Aguinis relocated to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in the 1960s, where he was awarded the Planeta Award, returned to Argentina in 1981, and when democracy was reinstated in Argentina in December 1983, Aguinis received a doctorate in psychiatry from the National University of Córdoba
National University of Córdoba
The National University of Córdoba, , is the oldest university in Argentina, and one of the oldest in the Americas. It is located in Córdoba, the capital of Córdoba Province. Since the early 20th century it has been the second largest university in the country in terms of the number of students,...
, was designated by President Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Alfonsín
Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín was an Argentine lawyer, politician and statesman, who served as the President of Argentina from December 10, 1983, to July 8, 1989. Alfonsín was the first democratically-elected president of Argentina following the military government known as the National Reorganization...
Undersecretary of Culture to playwright Carlos Gorostiza
Carlos Gorostiza
Carlos Gorostiza is a prominent Argentine playwright, theatre director and novelist.-Life and work:Carlos Gorostiza was born to Basque Argentine parents in the upscale Buenos Aires borough of Palermo...
and, upon the latter's resignation in 1987, became Secretary of Culture; in this capacity, he sponsored the renowned "cultural renaissance" that flourished in the country at the time. He created the National Program for Democratization of Culture (PRONDEC), sponsored by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
and the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. Aguinis promoted intense action towards participation activities aimed at raising individual awareness of the rights, duties and potentialities that a true democracy supports. His life's work was recognized with a nomination for UNESCO Education for Peace Award.
Aguinis is an author with international training in medicine, psychoanalysis, the arts, literature, and history. He writes: "Not only have I traveled the world, but I also journeyed through different professions." He published his first book in 1963, and since then he has written eight novels, ten essay collections, four short story collections, and two biographies, which have generated enthusiasm and controversy.
All his recent books have become best-sellers. Aguinis has thousands of fans who recommend, discuss, and collect his books. He has written articles on a wide variety of topics for Latin American, U.S. and European newspapers and magazines. Marcos Aguinis has given hundreds of lectures and seminars at educational, artistic, scientific and political organizations in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, the U.S., Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and practically every Latin American country.
In the field of human rights, he risked his life by courageously addressing controversial issues. During the last dictatorship, the government rectricted circulation of his books, but some of them were successfully smuggled. Many of his readers admire his prophetic vision of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the internal struggles within the Catholic Church, the authoritarian political trends, and the resurgence of ethnic and religious fundamentalism.
Aguinis has been awarded the Planeta Award (Spain) in 1970, an Honorable Commendation from the Association of Argentine Authors, the Reforma Universitaria Award (La Plata University), the Fernando Jeno Award (México
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
), the Distinguished Cultural Award (Academy of Arts and Communication Sciences, Argentina), the National Sociology Award, the Lobo de Mar Award, the Swami Pranavananda Award, the Annual Silver Plaque of the EFE Agency , awarded for his contribution to the consolidation of the Iberoamerican language and culture; in France, he was given the title of Knight of Letters and Arts. He received the Argentine Association of Authors Great Honorable Award for his life's work in 1995, as well as Honorary Doctorate degrees from the National University of San Luis
National University of San Luis
The National University of San Luis is a public university in Argentina, with its seat in the city of San Luis, capital of the province of the same name, in the Cuyo region...
, Argentina (2000) and Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
(2002).
Awards
Marcos Aguinis was awarded with several major prizes such as the Planeta Award, the Award of the Argentine Society of Writers, the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France and the Juan Bautista Alberdi Award 2007 presented by the Hispanic American Center for Economic Research (HACER) of Washington DC.Short stories
- Operativo Siesta (1977)
- Y la rama llena de frutos (1986)
- Importancia por contacto (1986)
- Todos los cuentos (1995)
Novels
- Refugiados: Crónica de un palestino (1969)
- La Cruz Invertida (1970)
- Cantata de los diablos (1972)
- La conspiración de los idiotas (1978)
- Profanación del amor (1978)
- La Gesta del Marrano (1991)
- La Matriz del Infierno (1997)
- Los Iluminados (2000)
- Asalto al Paraíso (2002)
- La Pasión según Carmela (2008)
- El Elogio del Placer, Buenos Aires, 2010 ISBN 978-850-00731874
Essays
- Carta Esperanzada a un General (1983)
- El Valor de Escribir (1985)
- Un país de Novela (1988)
- Memorias de una Siembra (1990)
- Elogio de la culpa (1993)
- Nueva Carta Esperanzada a un General (1996)
- Diálogos sobre la Argentina y el fin del Milenio (1996)
- Nuevos Diálogos (1998)
- El Atroz Encanto de Ser Argentinos (2001) (PDF Spanish)
- El Cochero (2001)
- Las Dudas y las Certezas (2001)
- Las Redes del Odio (2003)
- ¿Qué Hacer? (2005)
- El Atroz Encanto de Ser Argentinos 2 (2007)
- Pobre Patria Mía! (2009)
Books on Marcos Aguinis
- Ignacio López-Calvo. Religión y militarismo en la obra de Marcos Aguinis 1963-2000. New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 2002
- La gesta literaria de Marcos Aguinis. Ensayos Críticos. Ed. Juana Alcira Arancibia. Costa Rica: Perro Azul, 1998.