Julio Torri

Julio Torri was a Mexican writer and teacher who formed part of the Ateneo de la Juventud, a literary generation that also included Alfonso Reyes, José Vasconcelos, Antonio Caso, and others. He wrote mainly in the essay form, although his limited production included short stories and scholarly works as well. Considered one of the best prose stylists of Latin America, he was admitted to the Academia Mexicana de la Lengua in 1952. He translated works by Pascal and Heinrich Heine, and wrote essays on Aeschylus, Proust, Tolstoy, and other authors. He taught literature for nearly half a century at several institutions, including the National Preparatory School, the UNAM, and the University of Texas. He was awarded the title of UNAM Emeritus Professor in 1953. He died in Mexico City in 1970 at the age of 80.