Josefina Vicens

Josefina Vicens was a Mexican author, screenwriter, and journalist. She is considered to be one of Mexico's seminal women writers. She is best known for her two novels, El libro vacío (‘The empty book;’ published first in Spanish in 1958 and in English in 1992) and Los años falsos (‘The false years;’ first published in Spanish in 1982 and in English in 1989) and for her pioneering contributions to twentieth-century Mexican politics and political thought through her activism and journalism. She also authored several screenplays, many of which were produced and released as widely viewed films. She was born in Villahermosa, Tabasco state but lived most of her adult life in Mexico City. El libro vacio (The Empty Book) was the first Mexican meta-literary novel, using the resources of the "Nouveau Roman". It was awarded the Xavier Villarrutia Prize in 1958. It has recently been selected by the National Commission of Mexico for UNESCO's Literature & Translation project. Vicens had a rebellious and independent spirit since her youth. She left her family and worked as a secretary, a typist, and a journalist. She was involved in various social movements, such as the student strike of 1929, the railroad workers' strike of 1958, and the feminist movement of the 1970s. She was also a passionate bullfighting aficionado and wrote several articles and essays on the topic. She married José Ferrel, a painter and muralist, and had a close friendship with Octavio Paz, who encouraged her to write her first novel. She was also influenced by other writers, such as Juan Rulfo, Carlos Fuentes, and Samuel Beckett. Vicens' novels explore the themes of identity, memory, language, and writing. She uses innovative narrative techniques, such as metafiction, fragmentation, and intertextuality, to challenge the conventions of realism and the expectations of the reader. She also reflects on the role of women in society and the difficulties they face to express themselves and achieve recognition. She was a pioneer of modern Mexican literature and a precursor of the Latin American Boom. She died of a heart attack in Mexico City, one day before her 77th birthday.