Rafael Sanchez Ferlosio, one of Spain's most celebrated novelists, was born in Rome in 1927. His books include The Adventures of the Ingenious Alfanhui (1951), and The Jarama (1956), which won the Spanish National Critics' Prize. He won the Cervantes Prize in 2004.

Margaret Jull Costa has translated the works of many Spanish and Portuguese writers. She won the 1992 Portuguese Translation Prize and her translation of Eca de Queiroz's The Relic was shortlisted for the 1996 prize; with Javier Marias, she wonthe 1997 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the 2000 Weidenfeld Translation Prize .