A reception was held at the Croatian Heritage Foundation for the writer Juan Mihovilovich on the eve of his appearance at the 14th Festival of World Literature, on the occasion of Mihovilovich’s new novel “Ljubav puževa” (El amor de caracoles)
The CHF Director received prominent Chilean-Croatian writer Juan Mihovilovich, who has been linked to the Croatian Heritage Foundation through decades of successful literary cooperation. The meeting covered recent publishing ventures in the Chilean literary scene, where many writers of Croatian origin are active. The future plans for cooperation on both sides are particularly interesting, including new translations of Chilean-Croatian writers into the Croatian language of their ancestors. The meeting was also intended to strengthen cooperation among writers of Croatian descent in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries in South America, where Croatian cultural associations have operated for over a century.
The meeting, along with CHF Director Zdeslav Milas, M.Sc., was attended by a renowned connoisseur of diaspora Croatica, Hispanic literature and translator Željka Lovrenčić, Ph.D., who spoke about the features of Mihovilovich’s oeuvre in today’s Chilean literature. Student Iva Ajduković also attended the meeting and wished the author and translator success in future literary collaborations. The meeting was held on the eve of Juan Mihovilovich’s appearance at the prestigious Festival of World Literature in Zagreb.
The Chilean writer of Croatian origin, Juan Mihovilovich, will present his new novel “Ljubav puževa” (El amor de caracoles) on Tuesday, September 8, as part of the Festival of World Literature. Set in a rural area near the Chilean town of Curepta, the novel follows a family across generations and depicts a South American village marked by tradition, superstition, interpersonal relationships, and environmental destruction. The story is told by a boy named Pablo, who connects everyday events with dreams and imaginary worlds. Among the characters are Laura, Clarita and Lautaro, and through their relationships, the novel deals with the topics of love, family, growing up and memories.
The novel “Ljubav puževa” by Juan Mihovilovich, translated by Željka Lovrenčić, Ph.D., was co-published by Neolit and the Croatian Heritage Foundation. On September 8, at 6 p.m., Mihovilovich will participate in the “Double Portrait” program with Croatian writer Marinka Koščec in HNK2.
Juan Mihovilovich Hernández was born in 1951 in Punta Arenas and is a member of the third generation of Croatian emigrants in Chile. A judge by profession, he gained fame as a popular writer. He writes novels, short stories, poetry and essays. His novels “Sus desnudos pies sobre la nieve”, “El contagio de la locura”, “Yo mi hermano” and “El amor de caracoles” and the collection of short stories “El clasificador” have been published in Croatian. He belongs to a group of Chilean writers who established themselves in the 1980s, known as the “coup generation”.
Text and photo: CHF
