Biel Mesquida

Biel Mesquida is a writer, biologist and critic. He has been a science and technology popularizer in several media. He coordinated the science and medicine section of the Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana (1972-1980) and directed the communication service and UIB editions of the Universitat de les Illes Balears (1982-2011). As a writer he became known with the novel L'adolescent de sal (1975, republished by Labutxaca in 2013), winner of the Prudenci Bertrana Award, and El bell país on els homes desitgen els homes (1974, republished by Labutxaca in 2012). Among his latest publications are Encarnacions (LaBreu, 2022) and Passes per Palma (Vibop, 2023). He has also made several translations and collaborations for radio, television and film. Furthermore, his writings appear regularly in several media and cultural scientific magazines, such as Els Marges, Diario de Mallorca and El País. He has received awards as varied as the Ciutat de Palma Prize for novels, the National Prize for Catalan Literature and the Ciutat de Barcelona Prize. He also holds the Creu de Sant Jordi from the Generalitat de Catalunya. He has directed the Festival de Poesia de la Mediterrània for twenty-five years.