�lvaro Mutis Jaramillo was born in Bogot�, Colombia on August 25, 1923. He spent part of his early years in Brussels, Belgium, where his father served as Colombia's ambassador. His first volume of poetry, The Balance, was published in 1948. He moved to Mexico in 1956. He worked as head of public relations for the U.S. Multinational Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. He was accused of embezzlement and spent 15 months in Lecumberri prison in Mexico City. He wrote about his experience in prison in Diary of Lecumberri, which was published in 1959. His other works include Elements of the Disaster, The Adventures and Misadventures of Maqroll, The Manor of Araucaima, and The True Story of the… Pied Piper of Hamelin. He received several international honors including the Xavier Villaurrutia, Prince of Asturias and Cervantes Prizes. He died on September 22, 2013 at the age of 90.
Francisco Goldman, the author of five novels, one book of nonfiction, won the Prix Femina for his latest, Say Her Name.