Description
QUINA MENA DE GENT SOM
Book Summary
In this fundamental book, the great journalist and intellectual Agustí Calvet «Gaziel» offers a lucid and passionate reflection on Catalan identity. Written from exile in 1938, the work brings together four essays that address the history of Catalonia and its conflictive relationship with Castile, a central theme that runs throughout the text. With the objectivity of an incorruptible intellectual, Gaziel sets out to strip history of myths to tell what it really was and is, offering a realistic and necessary vision for understanding the present. An enduring classic that invites us to rethink the «Catalan problem» with clarity and rigor.
What is it about?
The book is the result of a commission from Francesc Cambó to Gaziel during his exile in France, in the middle of the Civil War. Far from being a typical chronicle, Gaziel writes four essays where he analyzes the history of Catalonia and the character of its inhabitants. The author does not avoid the thorny issue of relations with Castile, an axis that runs through the entire work. In addition, he critically discusses the reinterpretation of Catalan history that emerged from the Renaixença, seeking to overcome idealized accounts to focus on verifiable facts. The ultimate goal is to offer a history that serves to understand the present and glimpse a possible future, an effort of realism that the author himself defines as telling «what has been and what is» in order to be able to see «what can be.» This approach makes the book one of the works that has best captured the essence of the so-called «Catalan problem.»
Main themes
- Catalan identity and its historical evolution.
- The conflictive historical relationship between Catalonia and Castile.
- Critique of the idealized historiography of the Renaixença.
- Exile as a context for intellectual reflection.
- The search for historical realism to understand the present.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in the history of Catalonia, political thought, and rigorous historical essays. It is especially relevant for those seeking to understand the roots of the identity and territorial debate in Spain from an intellectual and non-partisan perspective. It is also an essential work for followers of Gaziel's work and for those who appreciate the lucid and committed prose of the great journalists of the 20th century.
What this book contributes
- A lucid and realistic vision of the history of Catalonia, far from myths and dogmas.
- A deep analysis of the historical relationship between Catalonia and Castile, key to understanding current conflicts.
- A reflection on the identity and character of Catalans from the pen of a first-rate intellectual.
- The unique perspective of an author who lived through exile and war, providing a critical and dispassionate look.
- A classic of Catalanist thought that continues to be a must-read to understand contemporary reality.
Technical specifications
- Author: GAZIEL
- Publisher: EDITORIAL DIERESIS,S.L
- Language: Cat
- Topic: Regional and national history, History of Europe, History: specific events and topics
- Collection: PRIMERA PAGINA
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: March 2024
- Number of pages: 176
- Weight: 627 g
Editorial review
This edition recovers a fundamental text of 20th-century Catalan thought, written by one of its most lucid journalists and intellectuals. Gaziel's work stands out for its analytical capacity and its desire to go beyond established discourses, offering a reflection that, due to its intellectual honesty, remains fully valid. It is an enriching read for anyone interested in history and politics, who will find in these pages a serene and profound analysis of an issue that remains central to public debate.