He said he questioned why few great Latin American novels after Don Quixote were written in Spanish and said his decision to write in Spanish was compelled by his need to "fill a vacuum."

Today, he is often considered to have started the "boom" of Latin American authors of the 1960s. The "boom" writers, he said, are inspired to "give voice to a silent past" because of years of colonial repression.

After speaking about his influences, Fuentes read a passage from his most recent book, The Years with Laura Diaz, which describes Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and Laura Diaz's trip to Detroit where Rivera was painting the Ford automobile mural.

He read a portion of the selection in Spanish because he said it is important to hear the language.

When questioned about his ability to write about unfamiliar subjects he said, "Literature is all about language and imagination."

He described art as "expression of reality, but also a creation."

"Can we imagine reality without Don Quixote and Hamlet?" he said.