Description
Fictional and True Stories
Book Summary
This work commemorates the centenary of the birth of Blas de Otero with a deluxe edition that restores one of his most unique titles. In Fictional and True Stories, the poet inaugurates a style of writing that traverses the lyrical and the prosaic, the tender and the ironic, always rooted in a profound ethic and aesthetic. The edition includes the original version in Spanish alongside its translation into Basque, carried out by Andrés Urrutia, and features a prologue by Cervantes Prize winner José Manuel Caballero Bonald.
What is it about?
In this book, Blas de Otero displays a collection of texts that challenge the boundaries between genres. Through a poetic and fragmentary prose, the Bilbao-born author weaves short stories that oscillate between the autobiographical and the imagined, the confessional and the critical. The work, described by Caballero Bonald as "inextinguishable and beautiful," becomes a space for experimentation where the word echoes human contradictions and the search for beauty and justice. This bilingual edition allows for the appreciation of the work in its original language and in Basque, offering a reading enriched by the translation of a deep connoisseur of Otero's poetry.
Main Themes
- The fusion of poetry and prose as a form of literary expression.
- Irony and tenderness as tools for addressing the human condition.
- Ethics and aesthetics as pillars of artistic creation.
- Personal and collective memory in the work of Blas de Otero.
- The relationship between language and territory through the Spanish-Basque bilingual edition.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in 20th-century Spanish poetry, especially in the work of Blas de Otero. It will also be of great value to those who study Basque literature or literary translation, as well as to lovers of carefully crafted, commemorative editions that offer critical and documentary context for a work.
What this book contributes
- Access to an experimental and lesser-known work by Blas de Otero, key to understanding his creative evolution.
- A bilingual edition that allows for the comparison of the original version with the translation into Basque, enriching the reading experience.
- A prologue by José Manuel Caballero Bonald that situates the work within the author's literary context and that of the era.
- A unique opportunity to celebrate the poet's centenary with a deluxe edition in pocket format.
Technical Specifications
- Author: Blas de Otero
- Publisher: El Gallo de Oro Ediciones
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: Poetry, Poetry by individual poets, Literature: history and criticism
- Collection: Gallo Verde
- Binding: Pocket
- Publication date: March 2016
- Number of pages: 370
- Weight: 602 g
Editorial Assessment
This edition of Fictional and True Stories stands out for its editorial quality and commemorative value. The inclusion of the Basque translation and the prologue by Caballero Bonald make it an essential reference for followers of Blas de Otero and for those wishing to explore a less traveled facet of his output. It is a work that invites reflection on the limits of language and the capacity of literature to fuse genres and emotions.