The author, born in Prague and educated in Comparative Literature in the United States, has developed a career closely linked to the translation and dissemination of Central European literature, introducing authors such as Bohumil Hrabal, Jaroslav Hašek, Václav Havel, Milan Kundera, Anna Axmátova, and Marina Tsvetáieva to Spanish and Catalan readers.
Her visit will provide an opportunity to reflect on the role of translation as a form of cultural communication and a means to incorporate literatures and historical experiences from other European regions into our own. The program includes the inaugural lecture of the 2026-2027 academic year for the Master's Degree in Literary and Cultural Studies (MELC), taking place on Tuesday, October 20, at 3:00 PM in the Academic Hall of the Faculty of Philology, under the title ‘Elogio del desarraigo’ (Praise of Uprootedness).
That same evening, Zgustova will present her book La traductora de haikus (The Haiku Translator) at Follas Novas. Her work as a translator has been recognized with awards such as the Ciutat de Barcelona and Ángel Crespo, and in 2004 she received the Gratias Agit award from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic.
As a writer, Zgustova has authored novels, essays, literary reportage, biographies, and plays, often addressing themes such as exile, uprootedness, identity, historical memory, and human relationships in contexts of repression. Her publications include La mujer silenciosa, La noche de Valia, Las rosas de Stalin, La intrusa, Vestidas para un baile en la nieve, Nos veíamos mejor en la oscuridad, and Soy Milena de Praga (2024).
Furthermore, she is a well-known cultural commentator and columnist, with contributions to media outlets such as El País and La Vanguardia, and her work as a lecturer has taken her to universities and cultural institutions across Europe and America.
