Born in Chile, Mauricio Segura grew up in Montreal and studied at Université de Montréal and McGill University. He is a well-known journalist, scriptwriter, and documentary filmmaker. An editor of the literary journal L’Inconvénient and a regular contributor to the Montreal public affairs magazine L’Actualité, he has taught at Concordia University, McGill University, and Université de Montréal.

Segura is the author of four novels and a study of Western depictions of Latin America. His novels Black Alley and Eucalyptus were published in English by Biblioasis. Black Alley is widely studied in Quebec’s junior college system. Eucalyptus was named one of Amazon’s 100 best books of 2013. The Montreal newspaper La Presse chose Oscar as one of the 40 best books of 2016.

PRAISE FOR OSCAR

"Bursts at the seams with historical events, colourful characters, and timeless themes...with its lilting strains of magical realism and strange sense of time, the book often recalls greats like Patrick Chamoiseau and Edwidge Danticat...with a keen eye to the history of Montreal and a knowing ear attuned to the ins and outs of swing and bebop, Segura shows both great force and a certain playfulness." —Montreal Review of Books

"An intriguing investigation into the life of one of Canada’s most iconic musicians... a fascinating work of fiction." —Toronto Star

"Story unravels in very creative ways...[an] enjoyable read...fascinating" —Jael Richardson on CBC Radio's q

"an enchanting and lyrical novel of the tragic consequences losing a loved one may have—and the dangers of impulsively grasping at greatness." —World Literature Today