Description
Time Lived
Book Summary
A work that moves between history and personal memory, where Josep Santesmases i Ollé recovers the pulse of a time and a people through articles and reflections. The reader will find a profound and nuanced account that captures with the written word the details, the precision, and the aspects that are often lost to collective oblivion. A tribute to the people and stories that deserve attention and that, without this perspective, would have disappeared.
What is it about?
The book is built from a collection of contributions that the author dedicates to what he calls "walking biographies." Through a literary and reflective gaze, Santesmases explores the inevitable tension between memory and oblivion, offering the reader a testimony of worlds that are fading and others that no longer exist. The work establishes a thoughtful link between the past and the present, often tinged with melancholy and always from a standpoint of deep realism. It is not limited to mere chronicle, but delves into the essence of a contemporary society that, absorbed in screens, runs the risk of losing the ability to observe the nuances that make up the true history of its people.
Main themes
- The relationship between objective history and subjective memory as tools for understanding the past.
- The recovery of anonymous biographies and the importance of preserving the legacy of individuals and communities.
- Reflection on the passage of time, melancholy, and the disappearance of traditional ways of life.
- The craft of writing as a method to capture details, precision, and nuances that contemporary society tends to overlook.
- Critique of the superficiality of the digital age and a call for a deep and measured look at reality.
Who is it recommended for?
Recommended for readers interested in local history, collective memory, and biographies that explore the lives of ordinary people from a literary and reflective perspective. It is also an ideal read for those who appreciate essays that combine historical chronicle with personal introspection, as well as for those looking for a work that invites reflection on the passage of time and the identity of peoples.
What this book offers
- A unique and literary gaze that rescues from oblivion the stories and characters of a territory and its people.
- A profound reflection on the tension between memory and oblivion, applied to real and familiar contexts.
- The opportunity to connect with a vanishing past, through carefully crafted and nuanced prose.
- A counterpoint to digital immediacy, offering a measured read that advocates for the detailed observation of reality.
Technical specifications
- Author: Santesmases i Ollé, Josep
- Publisher: Cossetània Edicions
- Language: Catalan
- Subject: Biography and social, cultural, and oral history
- Collection: La plaça dels arbres
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: January 2021
- Number of pages: 296
- Weight: 614 g
Editorial review
A work that distinguishes itself by its ability to build bridges between individual experience and collective history. The author demonstrates a mastery of the writing craft that allows the reader to access a universe of details and nuances that enrich the understanding of the past. It is a book that is interesting not only for its historical content, but for its literary value and its invitation to a necessary reflection on how we remember and what we choose to preserve. Recommended for those looking for a read with substance and depth.