Solana, Almudena 1963-

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Solana, Almudena 1963-

PERSONAL:

Born 1963, in Tui, Pontevedra, Spain. Education: Complutensian University, Madrid, Spain.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Madrid, Spain.

CAREER:

Journalist and novelist.

WRITINGS:

El currículum de Aurora Ortiz, Suma de Letras (Madrid, Spain), 2002, translation by David Frye published as The Curriculum Vitae of Aurora Ortiz, Harvill Press (London, England), 2005.

SIDELIGHTS:

A press and television journalist in Madrid, Almudena Solana wrote her first novel, El currículum de Aurora Ortiz ("The Curriculum Vitae of Aurora Ortiz") in her spare time from work. Solana shares a number of experiences with the book's protagonist: both hail from the Spanish countryside (a region called Galicia) and later relocated to the bustling city of Madrid. Aurora Ortiz is left alone in the city after her husband's untimely death, and begins the search for a job. Instead of submitting the typical formulaic résumé, Ortiz writes long, honest letters to a hiring service, and it is through these letters that Ortiz's life story and world view are revealed to the reader.

A contributor to Kirkus Reviews commented: "Delightfully original, Solana's fresh voice deserves attention." ReadySteadyBook reviewer Jodie Hamilton described the book as a "warmly written debut," further adding: "The images unwrap themselves so warmly that they create an intricate and engaging painting, full of possibilities." Anna Battista wrote in a review for Erasing Clouds, a music and film review site: "Almudena Solana's The Curriculum Vitae of Aurora Ortiz is a gentle and optimist tale, the sort of book that will definitely better whoever will read it." Writing for the Independent of London, Boyd Tonkin remarked: "This debut novel by a Spanish journalist is direct, charming, moving—and quietly profound…. Without a trace of sentimentality, Almudena Solana transmits the insight, curiosity and resilience of a ‘nobody’ without status or certificates."