Difficult to categorize –– neither magic realist nor political novelist –– Mutis is a native of Columbia, who has lived in Mexico for many years. Initially known as a poet, from 1986 to 1993 Mutis wrote seven novellas that have been published all over the world, winning major prizes everywhere including two of Spain’s most distinguished literary honours, the ‘Príncipe de Asturias’ and ‘Reina Sofia’ in 1997. In the United States, the novellas were published in two collections, Maqroll and The Adventures of Maqroll. In 2002 Mutis received the Cervantes Prize, the most important award in Spanish literature.