Prof. Bécquer Seguín (Asst. Prof. of Iberian Studies at Johns Hopkins) presents his new book The Op-Ed Novel (Harvard UP, 2024) on the mutual influence between opinion journalism and literature in democratic Spain. Focusing on the unique case of the Spanish newspaper El País, where one third of opinion columnists are novelists, the book illuminates the evolving role of writers in shaping cultural and political conversations in Spain, drawing parallels with renowned authors such as James Baldwin and Joan Didion, who transitioned from being novelists to becoming influential voices in current events.