Writer

Born in Asteasu, Gipuzkoa, in 1951, his real name is José Irazu Garmendia. After graduating in economics at the University of Bilbao, he went on to study Philosophy at the Central University of Barcelona (1981-1984). He did a variety of jobs until 1980, when he decided to devote himself exclusively to literature.

He had his first writings published early in the 1970s in the literary magazine Panpina Ustela. Later, he founded the avant-garde literary group Pott in collaboration with Joseba Sarrionandia, Joxemari Iturralde, Manu Ertzila, Ruper Ordorika, Jon Juaristi and other writers. After participating in the anthology Euskal literatura 72, he had the short novel Ziutateaz (About the City) published in 1976, which was to be followed by the book of poems Etiopia (Ethiopia) (1978).

PUBLICATIONS 1988-2007:

BI ANAI (TWO BROTHERS), a short novel published in 1985, translated into 6 languages. OBABAKOAK, published originally in 1988. Translated into 23 languages. In the Basque sphere he won the Critics Award and the Euskadi Award (1989), and in the Spanish sphere, the National Literature Prize. In l990 he was short-listed for the European Literary Award presented in Glasgow, and in 1992 received the "Millepages" prize in Paris. The film OBABA, by Montxo Armendariz (2005), is based on some of the narrations included in the book. The novel GIZONA BERE BAKARDADEAN (THE LONE MAN) published 1993. Translated into 17 languages. ZERU HORIEK (THE LONE WOMAN), published in 1995, translated into 11 languages. The actress and film maker Ahizpea Goenaga used the novel as the basis of her film ZERU HORIEK (2006). SOINUJOLEAREN SEMEA (THE ACCORDIONIST'S SON), novel published in 2003 and translated into eleven languages. Il LIBRO DI MIO FRATELLO (title of the version in Italian) received the Mondello Award for 2008 and the Grinzane Cavour Final Award for 2008, both for "the best foreign book of the year in Italy".
BEHI EUSKALDUN BATEN MEMORIAK (MEMOIRS OF A BASQUE COW), a short novel published in 1991 and aimed mainly at the younger reader. Translated into 9 languages. Book included in the IBBY Honours List in 1994. There is a version produced on CD in German by Radio Bremen.

POETRY. HENRY BENGOA, INVENTARIUM (1996). ETIOPIA (complete reprints in 1983, and a partial reprint in 2000). POEMAS & HÍBRIDOS (1990; 1997), translation and adaptation into Spanish of the above two books. Translated into Catalan, French and Italian (Premio Cesare Pavese 2003) and Finnish.
NUEVA ETIOPIA (NEW ETHIOPIA) (1996). Publication of texts & CD, includes songs based on the poems published. Among the singers are Ruper Ordorika, Itoiz, Xabier Muguruza, Gari, Tapia & Leturia.

He has contributed to newspapers, magazines and anthologies, including El País, El Mundo, The Guardian, The New York Times, Berria, and others. He has had poems and short texts published in numerous international magazines. Some of his texts appear in different anthologies. The most recent in 2008: New European Voices (USA), The Poetry of Recovery. Aftershocks (USA), and Rosso Primo (Italy).

In 2006, he was made a member of the Euskaltzaindia, the Royal Academy of the Basque Language.

Atxaga is, to date, the writer in the Basque language who has had the highest number of works translated and who is the recipient of the largest number of awards.

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