Biography

Né en 1926 à Jacmel, au sud-ouest d’Haïti, RENÉ DEPESTRE publie à dix-neuf ans son premier recueil, Étincelles, qui connaît un vif succès et le contraint à l’exil. Poète et romancier, son roman Hadriana dans tous mes rêves obtient le prix Renaudot en 1988. En 2006, le prix Guillevic lui a été décerné pour l’ensemble de son œuvre poétique.

Born in Jacmel, Haiti in 1926, RENÉ DEPESTRE published his first poetry collection, Étincelles, at the age of nineteen, bringing him literary success as well as forcing him into exile. Poet and novelist, his novel Hadriana dans tous mes rêves garnered the Renaudot Prize in 1988. He was also awarded the Guillevic Prize in 2006 for the entirety of his poetical work.

Fluent in French as well as a native speaker of Spanish and English, ANITA SAGÁSTEGUI has long cultivated her love of literature and languages through her work in literary translation. She has published translated works of short fiction and poetry from Spanish and French into English. Also an educator, Sagástegui shares her passion for the arts and literature with children in bilingual primary and middle schools. She resides in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband and two children.