Renowned El Paso author, artist Benjamin Alire Sáenz dies at 71
The award-winning Borderlands writer became the first Latino and only the second gay recipient of the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
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8 Articles
History-making gay author Benjamin Sáenz dies after long illness: “Bold enough to be sentimental”
Award-winning gay Mexican-American author and poet Benjamin Alire Sáenz, perhaps best known for his 2012 gay young adult novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, has died. Sáenz passed away at the age of 71 Tuesday in El Paso, Texas, his longtime home, following a long illness, according to El Paso Matters. Related “Aristotle & Dante” is groundbreaking in a world that lacks queer Hispanic role models Never Miss a Beat …
The Mexican poet and artist died after a career marked by novels, essays and verses about identity, migration, family and belonging at the border
Author Benjamin Alire Sáenz dies aged 71
Author Benjamin Alire Sáenz died on 28 July aged 71 after a long illness. He was best known for his 2012 young adult novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, which was adapted into a film in 2022. Sáenz had recently completed a new book, When the World Was Happy, which is due to be released in September. His final work focuses on the effects of gun violence and a school shooting. In a recent letter to readers, he shared th…
Renowned El Paso author, artist Benjamin Alire Sáenz dies at 71
by Cindy Ramirez and Robert Moore July 28, 2026 Benjamin Alire Sáenz is pictured in his writing studio in 2020, the year he received the Texas Institute of Letters' Lifetime Achievement Award. His award-winning body of work includes the PEN/Faulkner-winning "Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club" and the bestselling "Aristotle and Dante" novels. (Mark Lambie / The post Renowned El Paso author, artist Benjamin Alire Sáenz dies at 71 app…
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