Description
Under the Stars of Ca l'Herbolari
Book Summary
A literary refuge in the midst of the Civil War. Through the eyes of Albert Manent, the reader enters Ca l'Herbolari, the ancestral home in Viladrau where his family sought shelter far from the barbarism. Amidst quiet afternoons and strange silences, the author evokes the figure of his father, Marià Manent, and his grandfather, Domingo Segimon, weaving an intimate portrait of the great Catalan intellectuals of the era. A unique testimony that combines historical memory and internal exile, offering a personal and moving vision of a convulsive time.
What is it about?
The book transports the reader to the Ca l'Herbolari farmhouse, the real setting where the Manent family lived through the Spanish Civil War. Albert Manent, son of the poet Marià Manent, remembers those childhood days marked by fear and uncertainty, but also by the beauty of nature and the company of great literary figures. Through the memory of his father and grandfather, the text evokes the visits and conversations of eminent men of letters such as Carles Riba, Eugeni d'Ors, J. V. Foix, and Jaume Bofill i Mates, as well as emerging writers like Teixidor, Boix, Vinyoli, and Lamarca. The work is a hybrid between personal memoir, generational portrait, and chronicle of an internal exile, where literature becomes a refuge against the violence of the outside world.
Main themes
- Historical memory and the Spanish Civil War from an intimate and family perspective.
- Internal exile and seeking refuge in nature and literature as survival mechanisms.
- Portrait of the 20th-century Catalan intelligentsia: Carles Riba, Eugeni d'Ors, J. V. Foix, Jaume Bofill i Mates, among others.
- Relationship between generations and the transmission of cultural and literary heritage.
- Rural life in the countryside as a space of calm and reflection amidst the conflict.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is ideal for readers interested in the historical memory of the Civil War, especially from a personal perspective far from the major battlefronts. It is also highly recommended for anyone who wants to learn about key figures of 20th-century Catalan literature through a direct and emotional testimony. Finally, it is a work that can captivate those looking for intimate and reflective readings on the power of culture as a refuge in difficult times.
What this book offers
- A unique and personal testimony of one of the most convulsive periods in the history of Catalonia, narrated by the voice of one of its great intellectuals.
- An intimate and human portrait of iconic literary figures, far from their academic pedestal.
- A reflection on how literature, nature, and family can become a shield against adversity.
- A window into early 20th-century Catalan rural life, with its silences, rhythms, and values.
Technical sheet
- Author: Manent Segimon, Albert
- Publisher: Ara Llibres
- Language: Catalan
- Subject: Modern and contemporary fiction, Self-help and personal development
- Collection: D'ON VINC
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: September 2013
- Number of pages: 132
- Weight: 227 g
Editorial review
A brief but intense work that connects the reader with a fundamental episode of Catalan cultural history. Albert Manent's ability to interweave family memory with the portrait of an era makes this book a valuable read both for scholars of literature and for those looking for a human and sensitive approach to the Civil War. His restrained and evocative prose, combined with the power of the characters who parade through its pages, makes it a recommended title for anyone who appreciates historical memory and quality literary testimony.