Bestselling author Benjamin Alire Sáenz has tragically passed away at the age of 71. As reported by People, he was best known for his work penning Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, as well as Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club.
His publisher Simon & Schuster confirmed his tragic passing. They confirmed he passed away on Tuesday, July 28, following a "lengthy illness".
His death came at a very unfortunate time for fans of Sáenz's work. The bestselling author was just months away from releasing his upcoming novel, When the World Was Happy. The novel follows twins who experience a school shooting, changing their lives forever.
He reflected on his longtime career as an author in the heartfelt author's note. "I've always believed that I don't choose the books that I write. They choose me," the Mexican-American author mused.
"My work has always been a poetry of witness. Even my fiction novels are responses to the times I lived in and the life I have lived."
He continued to say that he "wanted to write about the things that matter."
"I want to write to move people," he explained. "Writing taught me to love people. So writing this book [When the World Was Happy] is how I love."
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Tributes Poured in for the Bestselling Texas Author
Tributes have poured in for the bestselling Texas author from fans and colleagues alike.
Per El Paso Matters, Daniel Chacón, a longtime friend of Sáenz and the chairman of the Creative Writing Department at the University of Texas at El Paso, lamented his passing and also spoke about his skill as a writer.
"What Ben did that nobody else could get away with is be bold enough to be sentimental, to write heartbreaking things that some people might think are too emotional," he explained. "That's what he did best."
Commenters on social media also mourned the author's tragic passing. One commenter wrote in Spanish, "I can't believe it,", with another writing, "Aristotle and Dante is one of my favorite books of all time... may his memory be a blessing, thank you for the stories."
May he rest in peace.
