Rayo Gives Light to Two New Series

By Adriana V. López. -- Críticas, 5/15/2008 8:58:00 AM

Having taken stock of the U.S. Spanish-language market’s evolution, Rayo publisher and editorial director René Alegria felt something was missing: a book series devoted to contemporary Spanish-language classics. “These thematic, mini-libraries exist in English,” he thought to himself. “Why not try doing the same in Spanish?” Thus, the creation of Esenciales (Essentials), a new series of literary fiction from Rayo. Think of it as a library of contemporary Spanish-language classics, not intended for an academic syllabus per say but filled with books that have withstood the test of time. Or as Alegria put it, “Those familiar titles that have emerged from an academic shadow to become beloved books of the people.” The series is the first of its kind in Spanish in the United States.

Working closely with editor and managing editor Cecilia Molinari, the Rayo team was also well aware of the trend in building libraries of contemporary classics, all inspired by the tradition of successful series like Penguin’s or The Modern Library. Trying to fill this big hole for literature in Spanish, Alegria and Molinari culled several lists, tapping their own list at HarperCollins as well as the new roster of authors from their co-publishing agreement with Spain’s Planeta. But then they went even further; buying rights from other houses that had let certain great titles go stale, with little promotion in old editions.

The first title, launched in May, was none other than Argentine heavyweight Jorge Luis Borges’s Ficciones (Fictions).[Check criticasmagazine.com in June for a review.—Ed.] “It’s arguably the most definitive masterwork of the 20th century, in any language,” said Alegria. “It is an honor to have this title be the cornerstone of the list.” With an arty paperback cover and French flap design, the book opens with an original introduction by Borges’s friend Alistair Reid and contains never-before-published interviews and “bonus materials”—expanded author bios, interviews with the author, and a Reading Group Guide—towards the end.

Alegria considers the U.S. Spanish-language reader to be “brand name conscious,” a quality proven over and over again with the popularity of authors like Gabriel García Márquez, Isabel Allende, and Mario Vargas Llosa constantly topping the best sellers lists. The Esenciales series aims to feed this same, dependable reader, while broadening the list to include a more diverse group of authors, living and dead—with more countries and eras represented, and, more important, much more gender-balanced.

“I definitely think there is room for growth in establishing the classic work of female authors available to Spanish-language readers in the United States,” said Alegria. “It’s so easy to focus on the work of El Boom [the Boom], which was mostly male, and call them classics. Female authors got cut out in this rush for the magical-realists. I aim to fix that and level the playing field.”

The list includes Chilean Marcela Serrano’s Lo que está en mi corazón (What’s In My Heart), Spanish Carmen Posada’s Pequeñas infamias (Small Infamies), Cuban Guillermo Cabrera Infante’s Tres tristes tigres (Three Sad Tigers), Mexican Jorge Volpi’s En busca de Klingsor (In Search of Klingsor), and Puerto Rican Mayra Santo-Febres’s Nuestra Señora de la Noche (Our Lady of the Night), among others.

While the Rayo team may be busy rediscovering lost literary gems, it also plans to stay healthy after all those sedentary hours of reading. Another new series, Adelante (Go for It!), is set to launch this fall and will include Spanish translations of the best in self-help, health, and relationship advice from the industry’s English-language front- and backlist, in addition to rebrandings of many of Rayo’s Spanish-language non-fiction originals. It will launch in September 2008 with Simon T. Bailey’s Revela tu brillo (Reveal Your Shine) and will continue with a new book each month.