Mercer Times

Xita Rubert, a doctoral candidate in comparative literature, has been named a co-winner of the 2024 Herralde Novel Prize for her novel "Los hechos de Key Biscayne." The award, presented by the Anagrama publishing house, is one of Spain's prestigious literary honors. Rubert accepted the accolade at a ceremony on November 4 in Barcelona.

"Los hechos de Key Biscayne" is described by Rubert as a narrative “about natural and personal disasters.” It follows a Spanish philosophy professor who relocates with his children to Key Biscayne, Florida, during the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Rubert said, "One of the things that I was interested in portraying is, how do more privileged or 'super safe' communities react to these kinds of disasters?"

Rubert expressed her excitement about receiving the prize, noting it feels "huge," especially since it has been awarded to renowned writers like Roberto Bolaño and Enrique Vila-Matas. Her book is set for publication on November 27.

While working on her dissertation at Princeton University, Rubert wrote both "Los hechos de Key Biscayne" and her first novel "Mis días con los Kopp." Her research focuses on three Latin American writers: Clarice Lispector, Silvina Ocampo, and Leonora Carrington. She is supported by the Program in Latin American Studies for her final year of studies.

At Princeton, Rubert found support from mentors and colleagues in comparative literature and Latin American studies. She credited this community with contributing to her work: “I feel like this award is shared between all these people who have been supporting me."

Teaching opportunities at Princeton also influenced Rubert's career aspirations. She co-taught an undergraduate course with Maria DiBattista and served as a teaching assistant for another course led by Elena Fratto.