Keeping a classroom of university students captivated solely through literature; impressing audiences of both young and established individuals with elegance, decency, and a strong pedagogical passion; dedicating years to extensive volumes of Latin American narrative and then weaving together rich anthologies known for their content, diversity, and critical framework..
The professor and essayist Emmanuel Tornés Reyes (1948-2026) could boast of all that and much more. He has just passed away in Havana, according to a note released by the Cuban Institute of the Book (ICL) and reproduced by several official media.
Born in Manzanillo, Granma, Tornés held a Bachelor's degree in Education in Spanish from the Enrique José Varona Higher Pedagogical Institute and in Spanish Language and Literature from the University of Havana. At this latter institution, he also completed his doctorate in Philological Sciences.
Between 1979 and 1990, he served as a researcher at the Literary Research Center (CIL) of Casa de las Américas and as the editor-in-chief of the eponymous magazine. He later worked at the Provincial Center of the Book and Literature in Havana and, since 1994, he has dedicated himself as a senior researcher at the Institute of Literature and Linguistics.
Specialist in Latin American Literature of the Boom and Postboom, his perseverance has led to volumes such as: What is the Postboom? and Manuel Rojas. Critical Studies, as well as the short story anthologies Between the Pores and the Stars, Rainbow of Dreams, The Ocean in a Fish and To Tell is a Pleasure.
Regarding the title of the latest piece, he stated in an interview: “For me, reading is truly an act of the most extraordinary pleasure. I say it is my second life; it is the most free territory that a human being has.”
He was a member of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, the Ateneo de Teoría y Crítica of the ICL, and the Economic Society of Friends of the Country. For his prolific work, he received various awards such as the Literary Research Award from the Academy of Sciences of Cuba and the Alejo Carpentier Award 2025 in the Essay category, as stated in the official note.
Writers, journalists, researchers, and literature enthusiasts, including dozens of students from various generations, have expressed their sorrow on social media over the sad news.
“Illustrious manzanillero, deeply-rooted Cuban, with a holistic vision of Literature. Passionate writer, professor, researcher. A very noble person. With a fine sense of humor. His influence will grow even more as his person and work are studied in universities and other educational institutions,” highlighted on the FB profile of the ICL by the writer José Antonio Martínez Coronel.
In the same space, the professor and film critic Rafael Grillo remarked: “I learned a lot from him, and he was also a person of incredible decency and civility.”
The ICL note does not specify anything regarding the causes of death and the funeral honors.
Condolences to his family, loved ones, and disciples.
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