Bringing together two leading voices in contemporary Mexican literature for the first time in Los Angeles, Valeria Luiselli and Guadalupe Nettel will take the ALOUD stage on February 23 to share from their recent work. Both writers are known for their highly skillful and often playful use of language—conjuring exciting new worlds through metaphor and poetic impulses that subvert readers’ expectations.
Luiselli, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction and two-time recipient of the Los Angeles Times’ Book Prizes will share from The Story of My Teeth, an imaginative odyssey through Mexico City’s art world and industrial suburbs. Nettel will discuss her unconventional autobiographical novel, The Body Where I Was Born, and her short fiction, Natural Histories, a playful exploration of human obsessions. This special evening is co-presented with the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles and will be presented in both English and Spanish. Over the years, ALOUD has hosted several multilingual programs celebrating literature in translation to foster a cross-cultural space at the library. Before we hear from Luiselli and Nettel, check out these past ALOUD bilingual programs from our media archive:
Ten years after his death, an ALOUD panel delved into the great and mythical legacy of Chilean author Roberto Bolaño.
Sandra Cisneros, the award-winning novelist, poet, and beloved author of The House on Mango Street, shared over three decades of true stories, essays, talks, and poems as she discussed her memoir.
Raising her voice for women’s rights, immigration reform, environmental activism, and more, GRAMMY-nominated musician Ana Tijoux discussed her politically powered verses.
Lost City Radio novelist Daniel Alarcón and team joined ALOUD for a special live presentation of Radio Ambulante – the first ever Spanish-language radio show created to tell the stories of latinoamericanos de todas las Américas.
Explore all of ALOUD’s media archives here, including podcasts of programs with award-winning author and the former President of PEN Mexico Jennifer Clement, a discussion on immigration with Los Angeles Times columnist Gregory Rodriguez, and more.