Alberto Laiseca (14 March 1941 – 20 February 2017) was an Argentine writer, novelist, short‑story author, translator, and television presenter. He is best known for his extensive, often experimental prose and for popularising horror and speculative fiction on Argentine television.
Early life and education
Alberto Laiseca was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He pursued studies at the University of Buenos Aires, where he obtained a degree in literature. His early career included teaching secondary school and working as a cultural journalist.
Literary career
Laiseca began publishing short stories in Argentine literary magazines during the 1960s, but did not achieve substantial recognition until the late 1990s. His work is characterized by dense, baroque language, metafictional techniques, and frequent references to myth, folklore, and the grotesque. He was a prolific translator, notably rendering works by Edgar Allan Poe, H. P. Lovecraft, and other authors of gothic and speculative fiction into Spanish.
Notable works
- Los sorios (1993), an oversized novel of more than 2,000 pages, considered his magnum opus.
- El árbol de los pájaros de la noche (1998).
- El libro de los niños (2004).
- Collections such as Cuentos de terror (1999) and Noche de los muertos (2002).
Television
From 1997 to 2002, Laiseca hosted the television series Cuentos de terror on the Argentine channel América TV, where he narrated horror stories and introduced classic and contemporary speculative works to a broad audience. His distinctive voice and dramatic delivery contributed to the program’s cult status.
Personal life
Laiseca lived most of his life in Buenos Aires. He was married and had children, though he kept his private life largely out of the public eye.
Death
Alberto Laiseca died on 20 February 2017 in Buenos Aires at the age of 75. The cause of death was reported as natural causes related to age.
Legacy
Laiseca is regarded as a key figure in contemporary Argentine literature, especially within the genres of horror, fantasy, and experimental prose. His extensive novel Los sorios has been praised for its ambition and breadth, while his television work helped to revive public interest in horror storytelling in Argentina. Posthumously, his writings continue to be studied in academic courses on Latin American literature and speculative fiction.