Backstory Talks: Beatriz Serrano

Join us as we welcome Spanish author Beatriz Serrano to celebrate the English release of her novel Discontent (August 2025)—the first of her works to be translated into English.

Set between the suffocating rhythms of office life and the air-conditioned halls of Madrid’s Prado Museum, Discontent is a sharp, darkly funny exploration of modern burnout, toxic work culture, and the desperate search for meaning in a world that never seems to slow down.

Beatriz will be joined in conversation by acclaimed author Donna Freitas (Consent, The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano), who will guide us through a lively discussion of Serrano’s work, her writing journey, and the universal themes at the heart of Discontent.

At Backstory, one of our missions is to celebrate local authors and bring the richness of contemporary Spanish literature closer to our English-speaking community. This event is part of our Local Literature Book Club for October, but all readers are warmly invited to attend.

Come discover your next favorite book, meet fellow readers, and take part in the conversation!

More about the author
Beatriz Serrano (Madrid, 1989) is a journalist and writer whose work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vanity Fair, GQ, Vogue, S Moda, and El País. She is also co-creator of the award-winning podcast Arsénico Caviar, winner of the Ondas Globales Prize for Best Conversational Podcast. In 2023 she published her debut novel El descontento (Temas de Hoy), which was hailed for its razor-sharp humor and unflinching take on modern work culture. Now translated into more than ten languages, Discontent (August 2025) marks the first time Serrano’s work is available in English. Her second novel has recently been released in Spanish, confirming her as one of the most exciting new voices in contemporary Spanish literature.