The Writer’s Block: A Q&A with Israel Centeno
by Sampsonia Way / November 30, 2016 / No comments
Israel Centeno is the author of poetry, short stories, and ten novels and is regarded as one of the most important Venezuelan literary figures of the past fifty years. He has won numerous awards, including the Federico Garcia Lorca Award in Spain and the National Council of Culture Award in Venezuela in 1991. Known as a literary innovator, his work deals with urban dystopias and controversial themes. Israel arrived at City of Asylum in 2011 as writer-in-residence.
On September 16, 2016, Israel performed in collaboration with jazz greats Hamiet Bluiett and Roger Humphries as a part of City of Asylum’s month of jazz poetry performances. Before the reading, SampsoniaWay.org interviewed him about his work and development as a writer.
