Eduardo Mendoza Wins 2025 Princess of Asturias Award for Literature
Spanish author Eduardo Mendoza accepted the 2025 Premio Princesa de Asturias for Literature on October 24, 2025, delivering an address where he declared that following his novels, foolishness is no longer permissible in Spanish letters. According to coverage from El Mundo, the writer combined characteristic self-deprecation with sharp cultural observations before an audience of dignitaries.
Acceptance Speech Highlights and Literary Perspective
Addressing the assembly of royals, authorities, and peers at the Oviedo ceremony, Mendoza reflected on his trajectory with trademark irony. According to the official transcript published by the Fundación Princesa de Asturias, the author noted that if he avoids looking in the mirror, he still considers himself a young promise of Spanish narrative. “The last thing one loses is not hope, but vanity,” Mendoza stated, acknowledging that the jury honored his body of work rather than him personally.
Mendoza detailed how his upbringing in Barcelona shaped his literary voice. He described growing up in a city that was simultaneously conservative and industrious, yet possessed a turbulent, criminal port history that supplied material for his fiction.
The Business of Prestige and Intellectual Property
In his speech, Mendoza credited his upbringing, teachers, family, editors, and agents for supporting his career, adding playfully, “The rest is my merit. Enough with modesty.” He noted that someone once called him a “provider of happiness,” describing it as the greatest compliment he had ever received.
Reflections on Society and the Literary Landscape
Mendoza avoided broad predictions about the future, remarking that he does not view himself as strictly optimistic or pessimistic. According to the El Mundo text, the author expressed discomfort with the current state of the world, noting that after living through a long era of relative peace and stability, he would prefer to enjoy what exists rather than complain about what is missing. Concluding his remarks, Mendoza referenced the previous year’s ceremony where Joan Manuel Serrat performed, opting instead for a concise and emotional expression of gratitude to the assembled guests.