Marco Denevi


Marco Denevi was an Argentine author of novels, short stories, and plays, as well as a lawyer and journalist. His work is characterized by its originality and depth, as well as a criticism of human incompetence.

Career

His first work, a mystery novel titled Rosaura a las diez, was a Kraft award winner and a bestseller. In 1964, it was translated into English as Rosa at Ten O'Clock. Other famous works of his include Los expedientes, El emperador de la China, Ceremonia Secreta, El cuarto de la noche, and Falsificaciones.
Ceremonia Secreta was filmed as Secret Ceremony in 1968 starring Elizabeth Taylor, Mia Farrow, Robert Mitchum, and Peggy Ashcroft. It was directed by Joseph Losey, with a screenplay written by George Tabori. In his edition of this and other Denevi works, Donald A. Yates mentions Denevi's admiration for Wilkie Collins, whose work this novella resembles.
He is less known as an essayist, but he also cultivated that genre with his República de Trapalanda, a late work, where he took on Ezequiel Martínez Estrada and Domingo Faustino Sarmiento's view of the Argentine republic.
He was born in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and at a young age he began playing the piano and reading. He graduated from college in 1939, and did not receive his law degree until 1956.
In 1987 he was inducted into the Argentine Academy of Letters.
Denevi had a desire to be a playwright. He wrote many dramatic pieces but felt he was not talented enough to write for the theater in Spain.

Works

Novels

Rosaura a las diez – Kraft Prize winner; translated as Rosa at Ten O’ClockCeremonia secreta – adapted into the film Secret Ceremony Un pequeño café Parque de diversiones Los asesinos de los días de fiesta Manual de Historia Enciclopedia secreta de una familia argentina Música de amor perdido Nuestra señora de la noche
  • ''Una familia argentina''

Short story collections

Falsificaciones – microfiction; expanded edition published in 1984El emperador de la China y otros cuentos Hierba del cielo Araminta, o el poder: el laurel y siete extrañas desapariciones Furmila, la hermosa – children's storyEl jardín de las delicias: mitos eróticos El amor es un pájaro rebelde Noche de duelo, casa del muerto Ceremonias secretas: relatos Cuentos selectos
  • ''Música de amor perdido y nueve relatos''

Plays

Los expedientes El emperador de la China El cuarto de la noche Los perezosos El segundo círculo o El infierno de la sexualidad sin amor Un globo amarillo
  • ''Fatalidad de los amantes''

Other works

Correspondencia – co-authored with Nana GutiérrezSalón de lectura Los locos y los cuerdos Robotobor – illustrated by Antonio BerniPáginas de Marco Denevi Obras completas La República de Trapalanda – essaysJuan Nielsen, retrato de un maestro – biographyUn perro – children's book, posthumous

Secondary sources