Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Born 1964 · Age 61
Spanish novelist best known for The Shadow of the Wind and the Cemetery of Forgotten Books tetralogy; works translated worldwide and sold millions of copies.
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Life & Career Timeline
Attended Jesuit-run San Ignacio de Sarrià School
Attended the Jesuit-run San Ignacio de Sarrià School in Barcelona (schooling years during childhood/adolescence).
Decided he wanted to be a writer (childhood)
Reported that he knew he wanted to be a writer from around age 5–6.
Started career in advertising (1980s)
Began working in advertising in Barcelona — the sector where he launched his working life and later became a creative director.
Began studies in Information Science (first year)
Started studying Information Science; during his first university year he was offered a job in publicity.
Worked as journalist and with theatre group
Worked briefly as a journalist and for a theatre group that produced musicals, early steps in his working life.
Reportedly quit advertising to write (alternative source)
According to one source he quit advertising at age 24 to concentrate on a novel (contradicted by other sources that place the quit later).
Moved to Los Angeles (1990s: began screenwriting work)
During the 1990s Ruiz Zafón spent time in Los Angeles, working briefly as a screenwriter and attracted to cinema influences.
Left advertising to focus on literature (alternative source)
Another account states he left the advertising world around 1992 to concentrate on writing full-time and literature.
Published first novel: El príncipe de la niebla
Published El príncipe de la niebla (The Prince of Mist), his first novel, aimed at young readers.
Won Edebé Award for Young Adult and Children's Literature
El príncipe de la niebla earned the Edebé literary prize for young adult fiction.
Used prize money to travel to Los Angeles
With earnings from his first novel/prize, he fulfilled a childhood dream and travelled to Los Angeles to explore cinema.
Published El palacio de la medianoche
Second young-adult novel (The Midnight Palace), part of the early quartet for young readers.
Published Las luces de septiembre
Third of his early young-adult novels (translated as The Watcher in the Shadows).
Published Marina (young adult)
Released Marina, another young-adult novel later translated into English.
Finalist: Fernando Lara Novel Award (for The Shadow of the Wind)
Named a finalist for the Fernando Lara Novel Award in 2000 with what became The Shadow of the Wind (published 2001).
Announced intention to write a four-book series (tetralogy)
Around the publication of El juego del ángel he said that it was intended to be included in a four-book Cemetery of Forgotten Books series (statement referenced in 2008 interviews).
The Shadow of the Wind begins global bestseller run (sales milestone)
The Shadow of the Wind started selling strongly worldwide, eventually reaching approximately 15 million copies sold overall.
Published La sombra del viento (The Shadow of the Wind)
First adult novel, a gothic mystery set in Barcelona; the work became his global breakthrough.
Selected by NYPL as 'a book to remember' & won French Best Foreign Book Prize
The Shadow of the Wind was selected by the New York Public Library as 'a book to remember' and won Best Foreign Book Prize in France.
English translation of The Shadow of the Wind published
Lucia Graves' English translation was published in 2004, sparking major international success.
Over 1 million copies sold in the UK (milestone)
Reported that The Shadow of the Wind had sold more than 1 million copies in the UK (figure cited in profiles of his UK success).
José Manuel Lara Hernández Foundation Award (best selling book)
Awarded the José Manuel Lara Hernández Foundation Award for best selling book (associated with his rising commercial success).
Refused film adaptation offers for The Shadow of the Wind (public stance)
Reportedly refused numerous film offers for The Shadow of the Wind, stating he didn't need the money and that no film could better the reader's image.
Booksense Prize / Barry Award recognition
Received Booksense Prize (US) and the Barry Award (US) recognition connected to his international success.
Finalist: British Book Awards (Author of the Year)
Named a finalist for the British Book Awards 'Author of the Year'.
Listed among 100 best books in Spanish (25-year list)
La sombra del viento included in a 2007 list of the 100 best books in Spanish in the previous 25 years.
Sales milestone: 250,000 copies sold in Catalonia in first week
Reportedly the launch of El juego del ángel saw more than 250,000 copies sold in Catalonia during its first week (source: contemporary accounts).
Won Euskadi de Plata for El juego del ángel
Received the Euskadi de Plata award in 2008 for El juego del ángel.
Published El juego del ángel (The Angel's Game)
Released El juego del ángel in April 2008 — second book for adults in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books sequence and intended as part of a four-book cycle.
English translation of The Angel's Game published
The Angel's Game (El juego del ángel) English translation released (Lucia Graves translated); English release year widely cited as 2009.
English translation: The Prince of Mist published
The Prince of Mist (El príncipe de la niebla) was published in English in 2010 (Orion Children's Books).
Published El prisionero del cielo (The Prisoner of Heaven)
Third novel in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books sequence, returning to Daniel Sempere and connecting plotlines to earlier novels.
English translation: The Midnight Palace published
English edition of El palacio de la medianoche (The Midnight Palace) released in 2011.
Short story: 'Rosa de fuego' published
Published the short story 'Rosa de fuego' in 2012.
English translation: The Prisoner of Heaven published
The Prisoner of Heaven English edition was published in July 2012 (translated by Lucia Graves).
English translations: Watcher in the Shadows & Marina published
The Watcher in the Shadows (Las luces de septiembre) and Marina released in English around 2013.
Short story: 'Two-Minute Apocalypse' published
Published the short piece 'Two-Minute Apocalypse' (2015).
Published El laberinto de los espíritus (The Labyrinth of Spirits)
Fourth and final book in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books tetralogy released in Spain and Latin America by Planeta on 17 November 2016, concluding the 2,250-page project.
Works published in 45+ countries and translated into 50+ languages (milestone)
By this time his works had been published in more than 45 countries and translated into more than 50 languages — making him one of the most widely published contemporary Spanish writers.
English translation: The Labyrinth of Spirits published
HarperCollins published Lucia Graves' English translation of The Labyrinth of Spirits on 18 September 2018.
Burial at Hollywood Forever Cemetery (reported)
Reported category listing indicates burial at Hollywood Forever Cemetery (burial likely shortly after death in mid-2020).
Died in Los Angeles from colorectal cancer
Carlos Ruiz Zafón died of colorectal cancer in Los Angeles on 19 June 2020 at age 55.
Posthumous publication: La ciudad de vapor (The City of Mist)
La ciudad de vapor, a collection of stories connected to his novels, was published posthumously in 2021.
Key Achievement Ages
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