Notable person

Rafael Laso Lorenzo, Writer from Xinzo de Limia

Rafael Laso Lorenzo (Xinzo de Limia, 1965) is an industrial technical engineer and writer: author of «O trasmundo de Antioquía», «Unha vida de ra» and «A revolta da lagoa», and interviewer of Carlos Casares.

Born: Xinzo de Limia, 1965
Profession: industrial technical engineer and writer
Works on A Limia: O trasmundo de Antioquía (2009), Unha vida de ra (2010), A revolta da lagoa (2022)

Rafael Laso Lorenzo was born in Xinzo de Limia on 25 January 1965. He is an industrial technical engineer from the Vigo Engineering School, with a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of León, and combines his work in private industry with literature ^[1].

Work

In fiction he published Por que Baldomero Quintáns? (2006), Memoria contra Alzheimer (2008), A vida que non é (2008), O trasmundo de Antioquía (2009, on the legend of the drowned city of the Lagoa de Antela) and Cartas ao director (2012). In children’s and young-adult literature, Unha vida de ra (2010) and A revolta da lagoa (2022). He is also the author of the book of interviews Carlos Casares, o amigo das palabras (2013) and took part in the collective work Limiaxinacións (2010). The texts of his book Unha vida de ra accompanied the Museo da Limia exhibition of the same name in 2017: see Exhibitions and activities of the Museo da Limia ^[1].

Prizes

He won the III Pura e Dora Vázquez Narrative Competition of the Ourense Provincial Council (2005), the narrative prize of the Manuel Oreste Rodríguez López competition in Paradela (2006), first prize in the XXIII Airiños do Xunco competition in Cervo (2007) and the Carlos Casares Micro-fiction Prize of the Liceo de Ourense (2011) ^[1].

Family and cultural life

An article by Tradicións da Limia recalls that his father, Rafael Laso Losada, was a maker of Pantallas and that Celso Lorenzo learned the craft from him; the author adds that, as boys, Laso Lorenzo went out with his Carnival group ^[2]. See Craftsmen and historic Pantallas. At the 2024 Carlos Casares Prize for Literary Journalism gala, in Xinzo, he acted as secretary of the jury and read the minutes setting out the winner’s merits ^[3].