Ana Maria Matute receives Spanish literary prize

[April 27, 2011]  MADRID (AP) -- King Juan Carlos has presented Spanish author Ana Maria Matute with this year's Cervantes Prize, the Spanish-speaking world's top literary honor.

The 85-year-old Matute is ranked as one of Spain's best post-Civil War writers. Her work often centers on that conflict, which took place from 1936-39.

At a ceremony Wednesday in the university town of Alcala de Henares -- the birthplace of "Don Quixote" author Miguel de Cervantes -- Matute began her acceptance speech with a special mention for Chilean poet and 2003 Cervantes winner Gonzalo Rojas, who died Monday.

Matute is only the third woman to win the 35-year-old award, after Spain's Maria Zambrano in 1988 and Cuba's Dulce Maria Loynaz in 1992.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.