Description
CHARITY
Book Summary
This volume brings together three incisive and combative texts by Angélica Liddell that explore the limits of forgiveness, literary creation, and national identity. The work includes the play "CHARITY," winner of the Ubu Award for Best Play in Italy, along with the essays "THE SCHOOL OF CERVANTINE EXPERTS" and "ANTIPATRIOT." Through sharp, uncompromising prose, the author challenges cultural institutions, the figure of the expert, and patriotic narratives, offering a profound reflection on writing and contemporary society.
What is it about?
The book is structured into three distinct parts, yet connected by the author's critical gaze. In "CHARITY," Liddell poses a disturbing question: how much forgiveness are we capable of enduring?, exploring the dynamics of compassion and guilt. "THE SCHOOL OF CERVANTINE EXPERTS" is a combative essay that reflects on the position from which one writes and lashes out at the figure of the cultural expert, whom she describes as "emperors of air conditioning" capable of generating rejection so virulent that it fuels literary creation. "ANTIPATRIOT," originally published in the Nouvelle Revue Française, offers a devastating vision of Spanish identity, questioning the relationship between language, culture, and a country that the author describes without concessions.
Main Themes
- Forgiveness and its limits as a social and moral mechanism.
- Critique of the figure of the cultural expert and their influence on literary creation.
- National identity and the questioning of patriotism from a literary perspective.
- The writing process and the conditions from which artistic work is generated.
- The tension between the Spanish language and Spain's sociocultural reality.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in combative non-fiction literature, critical essays, and contemporary drama. It is especially relevant for those seeking works that challenge established cultural institutions, patriotic discourses, and the hierarchies of the literary world. It will also be of interest to followers of experimental theater and the work of Angélica Liddell, as well as those who appreciate direct, provocative, and uncompromising prose.
What this book offers
- A lucid and critical look at the mechanisms of forgiveness and compassion in today's society.
- An original reflection on the role of the cultural expert and their impact on artistic creation.
- A provocative analysis of Spanish identity from a literary and personal perspective.
- Three complementary texts that allow one to appreciate the author's versatility between theater and essay.
- A work that invites debate and the revision of clichés about literature and the nation.
Technical Specifications
- Author: LIDDELL, ANGELICA
- Publisher: EDICIONES LA UÑA ROTA
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: LITERARY ESSAYS, MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY FICTION
- Collection: LIBROS ROBADOS
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: July 2024
- Number of pages: 280
- Weight: 470 g
Editorial Assessment
CHARITY presents itself as a literary proposal of high critical voltage, ideal for readers seeking a work that does not shy away from controversy or profound questioning. The combination of theater and essay allows one to appreciate Angélica Liddell's expressive power in two complementary registers, offering an intense and stimulating reading experience. The inclusion of the text awarded in Italy alongside the essays published in the Nouvelle Revue Française gives the volume significant documentary and literary interest, making it a relevant piece within the landscape of contemporary non-fiction in Spanish.

