Description
Collita de foc
Book Summary
Collita de foc is a novel that transports the reader to rural Catalonia at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, a period marked by the devastating phylloxera plague. Through the story of Rafel Esplà and his community, the work narrates the epic struggle to survive the loss of the vineyards and the subsequent collective rebirth. More than just a rural drama, it is a passionate tale about human resilience, hope, and the power of cooperation, which culminates in the construction of the iconic wine cathedrals.
What is it about?
The novel focuses on the lives of the peasantry during a particularly harsh historical moment. The phylloxera plague ravages the vineyards, forcing farmers to pull up and burn all the vines, destroying years of work and dreams. Amidst this devastation, the protagonists, led by Rafel Esplà, face a monumental challenge: to rise from the ashes. A heroic, collective effort allows them to graft the vineyards with resistant American varieties, leading to a new beginning. From there, an even greater goal emerges: the creation of agricultural cooperatives that will build the magnificent wineries known as wine cathedrals. Parallel to this, life follows its course, with births, deaths, loves, and hatreds, showing that, despite calamities, life never stops.
Main themes
- The struggle for survival and resilience in the face of adversity.
- The drama of the phylloxera and the transformation of the Catalan wine landscape.
- The spirit of cooperation and the birth of agricultural cooperatives.
- The symbolic value of land and labor as elements of identity.
- Human relationships in a context of change and difficulty.
Who is it recommended for?
This work is ideal for readers interested in Catalan historical and rural novels, especially those who want to delve into the roots of the wine world and the peasantry. It is also recommended for those who enjoy stories of collective overcoming and intense human portraits within a context of social and economic transformation.
What this book offers
- An immersive journey to the rural Catalonia of a century ago, with great historical and descriptive rigor.
- A reflection on the human capacity to reinvent oneself after a devastating crisis.
- Knowledge of a key episode in the history of viticulture, from a human and emotional perspective.
- A narrative that combines collective epic with the intimacy of individual lives.
Technical data sheet
- Author: CARME MEIX
- Publisher: COSSET·NIA
- Language: cat
- Theme: MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY FICTION
- Collection: NOTES DE COLOR
- Binding: Paperback
- Edition date: April 2007
- Number of pages: 272
- Weight: 450 g
Editorial review
Collita de foc is a novel that successfully combines human drama with historical chronicle. The author, Carme Meix, constructs a solid and emotional narrative around a transformative event for the Catalan countryside. Its main value lies in its ability to convey the spirit of struggle and cooperation of a community, offering the reader a deep and moving look at a past that still resonates in the country's present wine industry. A recommended read for those looking for an authentic and well-documented story.