Contemporary Spanish Literature

[sibkron]

I'm reading some books of Spanish writers. It became interesting what major Spanish authors are now. I like oeuvre by Javier Marias and Enrique Vila-Matas.

I found these lists by Alberto Olmos:

1- ¿Lo mejor del siglo? (I) Autoficción y relato real. Javier Marías, Javier Cercas, Enrique Vila-Matas.
2- Literatura y política. Constantino Bértolo, Elvira Navarro, Isaac Rosa, Javier Pérez Andújar, Belén Gopegui, Rafael Reig, Marta Sanz, Fernando San Basilio.
3- ¿Lo mejor del siglo? (II) Prosas españolas. Antonio Orejudo, Andrés Trapiello, Fernando Royuela.
4- ¡Vuelve España! Jesús Carrasco, Pablo Gutiérrez, Sergio del Molino, Montero Glez, Juan Manuel de Prada, Juan Gómez Bárcena, Óscar Esquivias, Javier Pastor.
5- ¿Lo mejor del siglo? (III) Líricos y perversos. Luisgé Martín, Eloy Tizón, Cristina Sánchez-Andrade, Ray Loriga.
6- Modernos: que inventen ellos. Agustín Fernández Mallo, Andrés Ibáñez, Jorge Carrión, Manuel Vilas, Laura Fernández, Mercedes Cebrián, Javier Moreno.
7- ¿Lo mejor del siglo? (IV) Señores y señoras. Rafael Chirbes, Manuel Longares, Vicente Molina Foix, Almudena Grandes, Rosa Montero.

Curso bimensual de Novela española del siglo XXI - Billar de letras

EL CANON DEL FUTURO: novela española del siglo XXI: autores, tendencias, propuestas, impartido por Alberto Olmos Un entretenido y jugoso repaso a lo que se ha escrito en nuestro país en los últimos quince años, con lecturas escogidas y ejercicios prácticos. Alberto Olmos, gran conocedor de la...

billardeletras.com

And:

Locas, perversas, enormes: mis 25 novelas españolas favoritas del siglo XXI

1. 'Ventajas de viajar en tren' , de Antonio Orejudo (Alfaguara, 2000)
2. 'La mala muerte' , de Fernando Royuela (Alfaguara, 2000)
3. 'Trífero' , de Ray Loriga (Destino, 2001)
4. ' Bueyes y rosas dormían ', de Cristina Sánchez-Andrade (Siruela, 2001)
5. 'Lo real' , de Belén Gopegui (Anagrama, 2001)
6. 'Tu rostro mañana' , de Javier Marías (Alfaguara, 2002)
7. 'El pelo de Van't Hoff' , de Unai Elorriaga (Alfaguara, 2003)
8. 'París no se acaba nunca' , de Enrique Vila-Matas (Anagrama 2004)
9. 'La piel fría' , de Albert Sánchez Piñol (Edhasa, 2005)
10. 'Crematorio' , de Rafael Chirbes (Anagrama, 2007)
11. 'España' , de Manuel Vilas (DVD, 2008; Alfaguara, 2019)
12. 'Los bosques de Upsala' , de Álvaro Colomer (Alfaguara, 2009)
13. 'Submáquina' , de Esther García Llovet (Salto de Página, 2009)
14. 'El abrecartas' , de Vicente Molina Foix (Anagrama, 2010)
15. 'Nada es crucial' , de Pablo Gutiérrez (Lengua de Trapo, 2010)
16. 'Agosto, octubre' , de Andrés Barba (Anagrama, 2010)
17. 'La mano invisible', de Isaac Rosa (Seix Barral, 2011)
18. 'La mujer de sombra' , de Luisgé Martín (Anagrama, 2012)
19. 'Amour fou' , de Marta Sanz (La Pereza, 2013; reeditada como 'Amor fou' por Anagrama en 2017)
20. 'Brilla, mar del Edén' , de Andrés Ibáñez (Galaxia Gutenberg, 2014)
21. 'Cicatriz' , de Sara Mesa (Anagrama, 2015)
22. 'Desde la sombra' , de Juan José Millás (Seix Barral, 2016)
23. 'La gatera' , de Muriel Villanueva (Navona, 2018)
24. 'Honrarás a tu padre y a tu madre' , de Cristina Fallarás (Anagrama, 2018)
25. 'Amor intempestivo' , de Rafael Reig (Tusquets, 2020)

Locas, perversas, enormes: mis 25 novelas españolas favoritas del siglo XXI

Me permito dedicar este agosto y este 2020 a hacer balance y enemigos citando las 25 novelas que a mí más me han gustado de lo que llevamos de siglo

blogs.elconfidencial.com

 

[tiganeasca]

I just read an intriguing review of a new book (new in English, anyway): Not Even the Dead, a novel by Juan Gómez Bárcena. Just wondering if anyone is familiar with the book or the author. I note that he is mentioned in sibkron's post, above, but the name is completely new to me....

 

[sibkron]

I just read an intriguing review of a new book (new in English, anyway): Not Even the Dead, a novel by Juan Gómez Bárcena. Just wondering if anyone is familiar with the book or the author. I note that he is mentioned in sibkron's post, above, but the name is completely new to me....

I read only from the list works by Javier Marias, Enrique Vila-Matas and Fernando Royuela. Review of a new novel by Juan Gómez Bárcena I read too. Curiously, yes.

 

[Ben Jackson]

I'm reading some books of Spanish writers. It became interesting what major Spanish authors are now. I like oeuvre by Javier Marias and Enrique Vila-Matas.

I found these lists by Alberto Olmos:

1- ¿Lo mejor del siglo? (I) Autoficción y relato real. Javier Marías, Javier Cercas, Enrique Vila-Matas.
2- Literatura y política. Constantino Bértolo, Elvira Navarro, Isaac Rosa, Javier Pérez Andújar, Belén Gopegui, Rafael Reig, Marta Sanz, Fernando San Basilio.
3- ¿Lo mejor del siglo? (II) Prosas españolas. Antonio Orejudo, Andrés Trapiello, Fernando Royuela.
4- ¡Vuelve España! Jesús Carrasco, Pablo Gutiérrez, Sergio del Molino, Montero Glez, Juan Manuel de Prada, Juan Gómez Bárcena, Óscar Esquivias, Javier Pastor.
5- ¿Lo mejor del siglo? (III) Líricos y perversos. Luisgé Martín, Eloy Tizón, Cristina Sánchez-Andrade, Ray Loriga.
6- Modernos: que inventen ellos. Agustín Fernández Mallo, Andrés Ibáñez, Jorge Carrión, Manuel Vilas, Laura Fernández, Mercedes Cebrián, Javier Moreno.
7- ¿Lo mejor del siglo? (IV) Señores y señoras. Rafael Chirbes, Manuel Longares, Vicente Molina Foix, Almudena Grandes, Rosa Montero.

Curso bimensual de Novela española del siglo XXI - Billar de letras

EL CANON DEL FUTURO: novela española del siglo XXI: autores, tendencias, propuestas, impartido por Alberto Olmos Un entretenido y jugoso repaso a lo que se ha escrito en nuestro país en los últimos quince años, con lecturas escogidas y ejercicios prácticos. Alberto Olmos, gran conocedor de la...

billardeletras.com

And:

Locas, perversas, enormes: mis 25 novelas españolas favoritas del siglo XXI

1. 'Ventajas de viajar en tren' , de Antonio Orejudo (Alfaguara, 2000)
2. 'La mala muerte' , de Fernando Royuela (Alfaguara, 2000)
3. 'Trífero' , de Ray Loriga (Destino, 2001)
4. ' Bueyes y rosas dormían ', de Cristina Sánchez-Andrade (Siruela, 2001)
5. 'Lo real' , de Belén Gopegui (Anagrama, 2001)
6. 'Tu rostro mañana' , de Javier Marías (Alfaguara, 2002)
7. 'El pelo de Van't Hoff' , de Unai Elorriaga (Alfaguara, 2003)
8. 'París no se acaba nunca' , de Enrique Vila-Matas (Anagrama 2004)
9. 'La piel fría' , de Albert Sánchez Piñol (Edhasa, 2005)
10. 'Crematorio' , de Rafael Chirbes (Anagrama, 2007)
11. 'España' , de Manuel Vilas (DVD, 2008; Alfaguara, 2019)
12. 'Los bosques de Upsala' , de Álvaro Colomer (Alfaguara, 2009)
13. 'Submáquina' , de Esther García Llovet (Salto de Página, 2009)
14. 'El abrecartas' , de Vicente Molina Foix (Anagrama, 2010)
15. 'Nada es crucial' , de Pablo Gutiérrez (Lengua de Trapo, 2010)
16. 'Agosto, octubre' , de Andrés Barba (Anagrama, 2010)
17. 'La mano invisible', de Isaac Rosa (Seix Barral, 2011)
18. 'La mujer de sombra' , de Luisgé Martín (Anagrama, 2012)
19. 'Amour fou' , de Marta Sanz (La Pereza, 2013; reeditada como 'Amor fou' por Anagrama en 2017)
20. 'Brilla, mar del Edén' , de Andrés Ibáñez (Galaxia Gutenberg, 2014)
21. 'Cicatriz' , de Sara Mesa (Anagrama, 2015)
22. 'Desde la sombra' , de Juan José Millás (Seix Barral, 2016)
23. 'La gatera' , de Muriel Villanueva (Navona, 2018)
24. 'Honrarás a tu padre y a tu madre' , de Cristina Fallarás (Anagrama, 2018)
25. 'Amor intempestivo' , de Rafael Reig (Tusquets, 2020)

Locas, perversas, enormes: mis 25 novelas españolas favoritas del siglo XXI

Me permito dedicar este agosto y este 2020 a hacer balance y enemigos citando las 25 novelas que a mí más me han gustado de lo que llevamos de siglo

blogs.elconfidencial.com

I don't know much Spanish, please can you translate some of the titles to English?

 

[sibkron]

That city by Javier Pastor: https://theuntranslated.wordpress.com/2023/11/02/that-city-esa-ciudad-by-javier-pastor/

 

[tiganeasca]

I read only from the list works by Javier Marias, Enrique Vila-Matas and Fernando Royuela. Review of a new novel by Juan Gómez Bárcena I read too. Curiously, yes.

I assume (meaning, I hope) the novel by Gómez Bárcena is Ni siquiera los muertos (Not Even the Dead). If I am right, would you mind sharing your thoughts on the book; I have it near the top of my pile of books to be read. Thanks.

 

[sibkron]

I assume (meaning, I hope) the novel by Gómez Bárcena is Ni siquiera los muertos (Not Even the Dead). If I am right, would you mind sharing your thoughts on the book; I have it near the top of my pile of books to be read. Thanks.

I didn't read this novel yet.

 

[Phil D]

"25 years of Spanish Literature in 10 novels", according to El español. (In Spanish)

• La conquista del aire - Belén Gopegui (1998)
• Soldados de Salamina - Javier Cercas (2001)
• El guitarrista - Luis Landero (2002)
• París no se acaba nunca - Enrique Vila-Matas (2003)
• Crematorio - Rafael Chirbes (2007)
• Pájaro sin vuelo - Luis Mateo Díez (2011)
• Farándula - Marta Sanz (2015)
• Patria - Fernando Aramburu (2016)
• Un amor - Sara Mesa (2020)
• Tomás Nevinson - Javier Marías (2021)

Thoughts on any of the books, or on the list as a whole?

 

[Phil D]

"25 years of Spanish Literature in 10 novels", according to El español. (In Spanish)

• La conquista del aire - Belén Gopegui (1998)
• Soldados de Salamina - Javier Cercas (2001)
• El guitarrista - Luis Landero (2002)
• París no se acaba nunca - Enrique Vila-Matas (2003)
• Crematorio - Rafael Chirbes (2007)
• Pájaro sin vuelo - Luis Mateo Díez (2011)
• Farándula - Marta Sanz (2015)
• Patria - Fernando Aramburu (2016)
• Un amor - Sara Mesa (2020)
• Tomás Nevinson - Javier Marías (2021)

Thoughts on any of the books, or on the list as a whole?

Here are mine:

La conquista del aire - Belén Gopegui (1998)
- Haven't read this one. Read a later novel by the same writer, Deseo de ser punk, which was terrible, but this one sounds better.

Soldados de Salamina - Javier Cercas (2001)
- Enjoyed this one, but like it more in retrospect because it introduced me to Rafael Sánchez Ferlosio, who has become one of my absolute favourites. Felt a very clear Bolaño influence in the final scene.

El guitarrista - Luis Landero (2002)
- Haven't read this but did read Una historia ridícula earlier this year, which was pretty decent. Would go back to this author.

París no se acaba nunca - Enrique Vila-Matas (2003)
- One of my favourites by Vila-Matas and maybe his most accessible. Re-read it this year and had a great time. Surprised they didn't go with Bartleby & co. instead, which has become pretty iconic. Happy to see this mentioned though.

Crematorio - Rafael Chirbes (2007)
- Read it, hated it. Facile, confuses depicting nastiness with social critique.

Pájaro sin vuelo - Luis Mateo Díez (2011)
- Díez won the Cervantes this year! Haven't read it, or anything else by the author.

Farándula - Marta Sanz (2015)
- Think it was a mildly amusing read but can barely remember it to be honest. Would definitely read more Sanz though.

Patria - Fernando Aramburu (2016)
- The sort of book that makes you stupider. A view of the Basque conflict that both the PP and the PSOE endorse, which gives you an idea of how simplistic it is. Put it in the same bin as Crematorio. Then set the bin on fire.

Un amor - Sara Mesa (2020)
- Haven't read this one but I did enjoy Cara de pan by the same writer - an odd and slightly disturbing little book about a couple of misfits; I'd be keen to read more by Sara Mesa.

Tomás Nevinson - Javier Marías (2021)
- I've read a lot of Marías but not this one. The latest of his books I read was Así empieza lo malo (2015), which I did admire, but I think I've had my fill of him for a few years -- unless somebody convinces me that this one and Berta Isla are unmissable.

 

[sibkron]

Tomás Nevinson - Javier Marías (2021)
- I've read a lot of Marías but not this one. The latest of his books I read was Así empieza lo malo (2015), which I did admire, but I think I've had my fill of him for a few years -- unless somebody convinces me that this one and Berta Isla are unmissable.

I heard that Thomas Nevison and Berta Isla are close on the topic of the book Tu rostro mañana. I read Berta and Thomas and I liked them although I don't read Tu rostro mañana yet. But Javier Marias is the one of my favorite writers.

Besides I read 'La mala muerte' by Fernando Royuela, and It is very strange and attractive baroque fiction in the spirit of Rabelais. By the way it was translated on english ('The Bad End').

 

[sibkron]

"25 years of Spanish Literature in 10 novels", according to El español. (In Spanish)

• La conquista del aire - Belén Gopegui (1998)
• Soldados de Salamina - Javier Cercas (2001)
• El guitarrista - Luis Landero (2002)
• París no se acaba nunca - Enrique Vila-Matas (2003)
• Crematorio - Rafael Chirbes (2007)
• Pájaro sin vuelo - Luis Mateo Díez (2011)
• Farándula - Marta Sanz (2015)
• Patria - Fernando Aramburu (2016)
• Un amor - Sara Mesa (2020)
• Tomás Nevinson - Javier Marías (2021)

Thoughts on any of the books, or on the list as a whole?

París no se acaba nunca is the one of my favorite books of Enrique Vila-Matas. Maybe It is the most lirical his novel.

 

[Phil D]

I heard that Thomas Nevison and Berta Isla are close on the topic of the book Tu rostro mañana. I read Berta and Thomas and I liked them although I don't read Tu rostro mañana yet. But Javier Marias is the one of my favorite writers.

The link between those two and Tu rostro mañana is probably what turns me off them a bit to be honest. Tu rostro mañana felt to me like Marías losing his compass and then writing around in circles for two more books in search of it. It's a while since I read it though.

 

[sibkron]

• Soldados de Salamina - Javier Cercas (2001)

Soldados de Salamina is very good novel by Javier Cercas, but I think in the Las leyes de la frontera he made the novel is stronger with the same narrative technique.

 

[Phil D]

Soldados de Salamina is very good novel by Javier Cercas, but I think in the Las leyes de la frontera he made the novel is stronger with the same narrative technique.

Haven't read that one, but I really liked his two non-fiction novels Anatomía de un instante and El impostor -- probably both more than Soldados de Salamina.