Benjamin Alire Sáenz, First Latino PEN/Faulkner Winner, Dies at 71
Renowned author Benjamin Alire Sáenz passed away at the age of 71 in El Paso, Texas, following an extended illness. The celebrated writer, hailing from Old Picacho, New Mexico, was recognized as the first Latino recipient of the PEN/Faulkner Prize for his 2013 work "Everything Begins & Ends at the Kentucky Club." His acclaimed 2012 novel, "Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe," garnered several prestigious awards and saw a film adaptation released in 2023. Sáenz, who was an ordained priest and publicly embraced his identity as a gay man, taught at the University of Texas at El Paso until 2016.
Key facts
- Benjamin Alire Sáenz died at age 71 in El Paso, Texas.
- He was the first Latino to win the PEN/Faulkner Prize.
- His novel 'Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe' won Stonewall and Lambda Literary awards.
- The novel was adapted into a 2023 film with Lin-Manuel Miranda's involvement.
- The book was banned in Russia and Belarus and temporarily removed in Granbury, Texas.
- He won the PEN/Faulkner Award in 2013 for 'Everything Begins & Ends at the Kentucky Club'.
- He taught at the University of Texas at El Paso until 2016.
- His posthumous book 'When the World Was Happy' will be published next month.
Entities
Artists
- Benjamin Alire Sáenz
- Lin-Manuel Miranda
- Max Pelayo
- Reese Gonzales
- Eva Longoria
Institutions
- PEN/Faulkner
- Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
- Stonewall Honors Book Award
- Lambda Literary Award
- University of Texas at El Paso
Locations
- El Paso, Texas
- Old Picacho, New Mexico
- Juarez, Mexico
- Granbury, Texas
- Russia
- Belarus
- Las Cruces, New Mexico
- Uvalde, Texas