Benjamin Alire Sáenz, the first Latino to receive the PEN/Faulkner prize, passed away on July 28 in El Paso, Texas. This followed a long battle with illness. A celebrated fiction writer and poet, Sáenz frequently wove his personal experiences of growing up on the U.S.-Mexico border into his compelling stories and poetry. He also incorporated his identity as a gay man into his work.
Born in Old Picacho, New Mexico, Sáenz began his life as an ordained Catholic priest. He eventually left behind this role. In doing so, he also publicly came out as gay. Embracing an identity that would later become central to his literary voice. His 2012 novel, 'Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe,' depicted the emotional journey of two Mexican American boys navigating love. The work earned him both a Stonewall Book Award and a Lambda Literary Award.
A voice against censorship
While 'Aristotle and Dante' became a defining piece of LGBTQ+ literature, it was also the subject of controversy. The book faced temporary removal in Granbury, Texas, due to its portrayal of a romantic relationship between two boys. It was also banned in Russia and Belarus, highlighting the challenges such stories often encounter in more restrictive cultural climates.
A tribute published on Sáenz’s Instagram account celebrated his work as a powerful force. This ensured visibility for those on society’s margins. The post emphasized, 'Ben believed that words could build bridges where walls once stood.' It described his stories as filled with themes of loneliness. They also included love, belonging, and the human need to be seen.
Legacy and influence
The renowned playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda narrated the audiobook version of 'Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.' He also played a key role in producing the 2023 film adaptation of the novel. Miranda also narrated the audiobook for Sáenz’s sequel, 'Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World.' In an Instagram post, Miranda called Sáenz a 'maestro.' He expressed his deep gratitude for being trusted with the narrator's role. Saying that the experience left a lasting impression.
The film adaptation’s director, Aitch Alberto, described Sáenz not just as an author, but as a cherished friend and a steadfast supporter of her work. In an emotional tribute, she wrote that Sáenz had trusted her with his deeply personal characters and that this trust had a profound impact on her career and life.
Final work and personal loss
Sáenz’s final novel, 'When the World Was Happy,' is scheduled for release in September by Simon & Schuster. The book reflects on the tragedy of a 1990 shooting in a Las Cruces, New Mexico, bowling alley, where his niece was killed. Sáenz found renewed inspiration for the book in the 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, which reminded him of the need to explore the long-term effects of such senseless violence.
He spent over 20 years teaching at the University of Texas at El Paso, where he first pursued a master’s degree in creative writing. A beloved figure in the literary community, Sáenz retired in 2016. He was honored with the prestigious PEN/Faulkner award in 2013 for his story collection 'Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club,' a work that captured the rich cultural landscapes of El Paso and Juárez, Mexico.