RIP Miguel Delibes

[Technopat]

Greetings All,
Miguel Delibes, one of Spain's most important 20th century literary figures, died today, Friday, 12th March 2010 after several years fighting cancer.

Apart from his best-selling novels (and film versions), and literary awards during Franco's dictatorship, he won Spain's two most important literary awards during this recent democratic period: the Premio Príncipe de Asturias de las Letras and the Premio Cervantes.

The recurring theme of his works was social injustice and the contrast between rural life and modernity. His ability to portray the harshness of rural life in Castilla and the language of its people was amazing. Many of his novels deal with hunting - deeply rooted in Castilla - and his famous essay justifying his love of hunting, "La caza: mi punto de vista" , and in which he vehemently criticises the mass slaughter of captive pieces, which will undoubtedly strike a chord among some iberianatureforumers, expresses very well the sentiment of many people, hunters and critics alike.

Among his most important novels (off the top of me 'ead and not in chronological order):

La sombra del ciprés es alargada - his first novel, for which he won the prestigious (commercial) Premio Nadal in 1947.
Los santos inocentes (if your Spanish ain't up to reading it, the film version is excellent - and obligatory viewing for anyone living in this country)
Diario de un cazador - Premio Nacional de Literatura in 1955
Cinco horas con Mario
Las ratas
Viejas historias de Castilla la Vieja
El camino
El hereje
And with his son, Miguel Delibes, Jr. (a former director of Doñana) La Tierra herida

On the other hand, I have it on good authority that, respected author, Academician (Fellow?) of the Royal Spanish Academy and expert on Castillian nature etc., that he was, he was constantly frustrated in his efforts to persuade his fellow Fellows académicos to include more nature-related terms in the DRAE. Practical solution:
DICCIONARIO DE VOCES Y EXPRESIONES POPULARES Y RURALES EN LA OBRA DE MIGUEL DELIBES

RIP Miguel Delibes
"Muere Miguel Delibes, alma del castellano" Obituary in El País

Technopat

Ps.
Just one other thing I forgot to mention above, again for those of you new to Spain and/or not up on its recent history, don't forget Delibes' notorious desprecio (En. anyone?) for Manuel Fraga, and when they get round to writing the latter's obituary, and his "contribution" to Spain's democracy, remember the following:

Juan Cruz: Me decía Emilio Lledó, cuando le conté que le iba a entrevistar: "Menciónale la palabra Fraga". ¿Le sigue soliviantando la palabra Fraga?
Delibes: Emilio vivía entonces [finales de los 60] en Valladolid [donde Delibes dirigía El Norte de Castilla], y conocía mis rifirrafes con Fraga, quien se obstinaba en proclamar que el pueblo en España era libre cuando nadie ignoraba que estábamos maniatados. Él y Juan Aparicio, maestro de censores, fueron para mí las nubes más negras de la negra etapa de la censura en España. Mis más penosos recuerdos de esta época fueron ellos: su persecución sistemática, su dureza... A los mayores tiranos siempre les gustó tener fama de liberadores.

from an interview by Juan Cruz for El País a couple of years ago

[lucy]

Hi TP
I've only read "Viejas historias" but you've made me want to read more. Thanks for the very nice post.

The film "Los santos inocentes" is burned on my brain.

[glennie]

Read almost everything by him though could not finish ?? Horas Con Mario.

There is a short story he wrote called La Mortaja which is absolutely marvellous.

Sad to see him go. A man with considerable integrity.

[nick]

I've only read Las Ratas. And now i want to read lots more.

I also loved the film of Los Santos Inocentes. I know it has been criticised for its stereotypical portrayal of the ruling class but I suspect this was by people with a short/selective memory. Superb acting, and surely the dehesa, shot in the morning mist, has never looked so stunning on film.

Watching it was probably one of my twelve? odd reasons for starting iberianature.

[lisa]

I read El Camino as part of my A level text.......and enjoyed it! Was Los Santos Inocentes on the tele recently? I have a feeling the film we all watched must have been it, about a family looking after a finca and how the owners treated them when they visited to hunt? Plenty of stereotypes but moving.

[nick]

Hi Lisa,

Yes, that's the one.

[Dave]

Hi All
Lots in the local news about the passing of Delibes, one of our local bookshops has set up a window display featuring his books. I have a copy of the film version of Los Santos inocentes, which enjoyed, along with the amazing Lengua de las Mariposas. Not tried the books yet, but with my new E book reader, I might give it a go. 
Regards
Dave

[nick]

Thought you might like to this photo of him