Valeria Luiselli announced as winner of Rathbones Folio Prize

Published by Alice Jaspars on March 25th 2020, 3:12pm

Valeria Luiselli, author of Lost Children Archive, has been announced as the most recent winner of the Rathbones Folio Prize.

Luiselli, a leading figure in the Latin American literature scene, wrote her most recent novel on the immigration crisis, focusing on refugee children in detention centres between the US-Mexico border while volunteering as a translator.

Luiselli is the first woman to win the prize since its conception in 2013. While the ceremony was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak, Paul Farley, the chair of judges, called upon those watching the live streaming of the announcement to imagine “a podium, flutes of house prosecco, the din of assembled guests and the speeches”.

Of her book, she notes that :“Numbers and maps tell horror stories, but the stories of deepest horror are perhaps those for which there are no numbers, no maps, no possible accountability, no words ever written or spoken.”

Luiselli continues, that the world we live in now “changed, and we know it. We don’t know how to explain it yet, but I think we all can feel it, somewhere deep in our gut or in our brain circuits. We feel time differently.

“No one has quite been able to capture what is happening or say why. Perhaps it’s just that we sense an absence of future, because the present has become too overwhelming, so the future has become unimaginable. And without future, time feels like only an accumulation.”

Share this article


Leaders of Great Britain

About Leaders of Great Britain

Leaders of Great Britain hosts a series of engaging events featuring prominent figures from the worlds of politics, sports, business, and entertainment. Our goal is for every attendee to leave these gatherings with profound leadership insights that transcend boundaries. Learn More.



Authored By

Alice Jaspars
Culture Editor
March 25th 2020, 3:12pm

Follow Us

Follow @LeadersGBNI on Twitter for more live updates

Share this article


Popular Features

FEATURES | Published October 7th 2024, 4:04 pm

Margaret Ollivier: Ensuring Respect and Inclusivity at Expect Ltd

FEATURES | Published September 16th 2024, 11:11 am

Andrew Martin: Steering the Course of Planning and Development

FEATURES | Published July 26th 2024, 7:07 am

Paul Bowley: Transforming Lives with Abbeycare Group

© Copyright 2024, Leaders of Great Britain.