Balakian in Madrid and Barcelona for Spanish edition of “Black Dog of Fate”

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Black Dog of Fate — Los Perros Negro del Destino — was recently published in Spanish by Berg Institute Press in Madrid. In honor of the publication, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Peter Balakian had a reading tour in Madrid and Barcelona.

Peter Balakian reading at University of Madrid (Photo: Jorge Rosenvinge)

On May 8 Balakian read at the University of Madrid and on May 10 at well-known city center bookstore La Buena Vida-Café del Libro, concluding at the University of Barcelona Law School on May 14. In Madrid, he was hosted by his publisher Joaquin Gonzalez Ibanez and his translator Professor Rosa Bautista Cordero, and in Barcelona by Professor Rosanna Alija who teaches at Barcelona University Law School and attorney and community leader Emma Hagopian.

Peter Balakian with the translator of “Black Dog of Fate” Professor Rosa Bautista Cordero, University of Madrid (Photo: Jorge Rosenvinge)

A feature story on Balakian by Andrea Aguilar was published in Spain’s leading newspaper El Pais on May 14, which gave Balakian an opportunity to discuss the modern history of Armenia and the impact of the Armenian Genocide on 20th century history, as well as on his own work as poet and non-fiction writer. Balakian told Aguilar “the history of Armenia has played an important role in my work, and I haven’t avoided writing about trauma or violence.”

Peter Balakian reading at University of Barcelona with Professor of Law Rosanna Alija, University of Barcelona

Winner of the 1998 PEN/Albrand Award for Memoir, and a New York Times Notable Book, Black Dog of Fate has been in continuous circulation since its publication in 1997 and has gone through dozens of printings. The Spanish edition of Black Dog of Fate adds to the list of translations of Balakian’s memoir that include German, French, Dutch, Greek, Armenian, Turkish and others. A Tamil translation will appear in India next year.