Alejandro Rossi

Alejandro Rossi (Alessandro Rossi; 22 September 1932 – 5 June 2009) was a renowned Mexican philosopher, essayist, and literary critic. Acclaimed as an essayist and writer of short stories and literary texts, he was praised by Spanish and Latin American critics for his undoubted originality.

He received a grant from El Colegio de México from 1957 to 1958.

In addition to his work for Plural, Rossi also wrote supplemental articles on culture for the newspaper Excélsior which, at the time, was headed by the poet Octavio Paz and under the editorship of Julio Scherer García. In 1976, the newspaper was subdued by members of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) led by President Luis Echeverría Álvarez — due to the newspaper's views against his administration — leaving Rossi to follow Paz and his coworkers in founding the literary review Vuelta of which Rossi served as the interim director for a few months. From there, Rossi became part of the review's editing board until the very last day of publication in 1998. He also had a column in the magazine.Vuelta received the Prince of Asturias Award (Spanish: Premio Príncipe de Asturias de Comunicación y Humanidades) in 1993.

In 1983, Rossi was invited to attend St. Anthony's College at the University of Oxford in Great Britain.

He died in Mexico City on June 5, 2009. A memorial service was held for him on June 7 at the Palace of Fine Arts.

Works Manual del distraído (Manual of the Absent-minded) (1978) is a clever and thoughtful look at how distraction shapes our lives. It's based on some of Alejandro's earlier magazine and newspaper articles. Through short, fragmented reflections, Rossi explores big ideas about attention and existence, while using humor and insight. The book’s loose structure and deep thoughts might be hard for some readers to follow, but those who enjoy philosophical musings will find it rewarding. It's often considered his masterpiece. and also collaborated with various foreign others in books like Philosophie und Rechtstheorie in Mexiko (Duncker & Humblot, Berlín, 1989) and Philosophical Analysis in Latin America (Jorge J. E. Gracia et al., 1984).

Edén: Vida imaginada (FCE, 2006) was his last book. In it, the idea of paradise is explored in a contemplative and poetic form. Rossi reflects on themes of existence, desire, and the search for meaning, using the concept of The Garden of Eden as a metaphor for human longing and the complexity of life. The book combines philosophical insights with rich imagery. It won the Xavier Villaurrutia Award in 2007. in the 'artistic creation and culture advancement' category by the National Autonomous University of Mexico in 2000.