Description
Madrid Barcelona
Book Summary
This volume brings together two masterpieces by Nobel Prize winner Camilo José Cela, originally published in 1966 and 1970. Ediciones del Viento recovers these brilliant texts, accompanied by the watercolors of two of the most prominent watercolorists of the era, in a high-quality hardcover edition. The reader will encounter an acute, fresh, and brazen look at two cities that, seen from the present, appear exotic and unrecognizable. A unique literary testimony that combines Cela’s masterful prose with the art of watercolor, offering an unparalleled visual and narrative reading experience.
What is it about?
The work presents two urban portraits, one dedicated to Madrid and the other to Barcelona, written with the unmistakable pen of Camilo José Cela. Through agile and brazen prose, the author describes scenes, characters, corners, and atmospheres of both cities in the 1960s and 1970s. The reader will discover urban spaces that, in many respects, have disappeared or have been radically transformed, giving the text documentary and nostalgic value. Each chapter is illustrated with original watercolors that complement and enrich the narrative, creating a dialogue between the written word and the image. The edition includes a prologue by Camilo José Cela Conde, which contextualizes and provides a personal perspective on this recovered work.
Main themes
- A literary and visual portrait of Madrid and Barcelona in the 60s and 70s.
- The urban and social transformation of two major Spanish cities.
- A Nobel Prize winner's nostalgic and critical gaze on the urban landscape.
- The fusion of narrative prose with artistic illustration (watercolor).
- Manners and the description of popular character types and scenes.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in travel literature, urban chronicles, and the work of Camilo José Cela. It will also be highly appealing to lovers of Spain's recent history, collectors of high-quality illustrated editions, and anyone who wishes to rediscover Madrid and Barcelona from a unique literary perspective. It is an ideal work for those who value books as artistic objects and seek a reading experience that combines text and image.
What this book offers
- A unique and personal vision of two iconic cities narrated by a Nobel Prize winner.
- A journey through time through prose and watercolor, allowing for the rediscovery of urban spaces that have disappeared or been transformed.
- A carefully crafted hardcover edition with illustrations of great artistic value, making the book a collector's item.
- The pleasure of an agile, fresh, and brazen read, characteristic of Cela's unmistakable style.
Technical specifications
- Author: Cela, Camilo José
- Publisher: Ediciones del Viento, S.L.
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: PROSE: NON-FICTION, MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY FICTION, TRAVEL LITERATURE
- Collection: VIENTO CEFIRO
- Binding: Hardcover
- Publication date: March 2017
- Number of pages: 192
- Weight: 800 g
Editorial review
This edition recovers two minor yet brilliant texts by Camilo José Cela, offering an excellent opportunity to discover a lesser-known facet of the author: that of the urban chronicler and sharp observer of daily life. The quality of the edition, with its original watercolors and the prologue by Cela Conde, makes it an attractive bibliographical object for both collectors and new readers. It is a work that will be of special interest to those seeking a read that combines literary, historical, and artistic value, and who wish to explore the urban Spain of the mid-20th century through the eyes of one of its greatest writers.