Nada (Modern Library Classics) - Hardcover

Laforet, Carmen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0679643451 ISBN 13: 9780679643456

Publisher: Modern Library, 2007

Synopsis

In Barcelona, in the wake of the Spanish Civil War, Andrea, a young university student, moves into a strange, gothic house inhabited by a volatile array of aunts and uncles in order to attend college and finds herself coping with her cruelly sensual musician uncle Román, his violent brother Juan, her overbearing and religious aunt Angustias, and aunt Gloria, who supports the family with her secret gambling. 10,000 first printing.

About this title

Review:

Laforet vividly conveys the strangeness of Barcelona in the 1940s, a city that has survived civil war only to find itself muted by Franco s dictatorship The spirit of sly resistance that Laforet s novel expresses, its heroine s determination to escape provincial poverty and to immerse herself in lights, noises, the entire tide of life, has lost none of its power of persuasion. The New York Times Book Review

That this complex, mature and wise novel was written by someone in her early 20s is extraordinary .But after six decades, this first novel has lost none of its power and originality, and we are fortunate to have it in this fine translation. -- The Washington Post, chosen as a Washington Post Best Book of the Year
Nada does indeeed recall Sartre and Camus, but it is fresher and more vibrant than either, and with its call to intuition and feelings rather than intellect, it cuts deeper .[A] mesmerizing new translation .a beautiful evocation of the tidal wave of late adolescent feeling .[Laforet] wrote Nada when she was only 23, yet the book resonates with frightening maturity, sadness and depth a work of genius. Los Angeles Times
A brilliantly subtle book whose power lies in what goes unsaid Nada is a skillfully written, multifaceted novel, and its eerie relevance to today s political climate and social attitudes is difficult to ignore. -- The San Francisco Chronicle
Laforet s moody and sepulchral debut novel has been given new life by acclaimed translator Grossman .Andrea s narration is gorgeously expressive, rippling with emotion and meaning fans of European lit will welcome this Spanish Gothic to the States with open arms and a half-exasperated, What took you so long? Publisher s Weekly (starred review)
This Modern Library edition should be a keeper. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Carmen Laforet finds new life with this beautiful translation dazzling in its approach Laforet s talent in addressing complex familial and social issues us nothing short of amazing her wiser-than-thou nature and clever handling of bitter dialogue [are] the mark of a truly gifted writer ..a timeless work of art. -- The Fredericksburg Free Lance Star
Nada is neither moralist, nor prolix, unlike most other Spanish literature of the time and before. This is a modern voice, philosophically and stylistically, talking to us in freedom from the darkest hours of the victory of fascism .remarkably sophisticated. -- The Independent
[A] remarkable achievement Nada s work is sui generis, a gothic horror story which deserves the widest possible readership. The Sunday Herald
Edith Grossman s translation makes the rich, dense descriptions....sound perfectly natural in English; not a beat is missed, not an adjective misplaced. Let us hope that her fine, readable version will enable Nada to achieve, in the English-reading world, the perennial popularity of a great twentieth-century novel. TLS
"

"Laforet vividly conveys the strangeness of Barcelona in the 1940s, a city that has survived civil war only to find itself muted by Franco's dictatorship...The spirit of sly resistance that Laforet's novel expresses, its heroine's determination to escape provincial poverty and to immerse herself in 'lights, noises, the entire tide of life, ' has lost none of its power of persuasion." -- The New York Times Book Review

"That this complex, mature and wise novel was written by someone in her early 20s is extraordinary....But after six decades, this first novel has lost none of its power and originality, and we are fortunate to have it in this fine translation."-- The Washington Post, chosen as a Washington Post Best Book of the Year

"Nada does indeeed recall Sartre and Camus, but it is fresher and more vibrant than either, and with its call to intuition and feelings rather than intellect, it cuts deeper....[A] mesmerizing new translation....a beautiful evocation of the tidal wave of late adolescent feeling....[Laforet] wrote Nada when she was only 23, yet the book resonates with frightening maturity, sadness and depth...a work of genius." -- Los Angeles Times

"A brilliantly subtle book whose power lies in what goes unsaid..."Nada" is a skillfully written, multifaceted novel, and its eerie relevance to today's political climate and social attitudes is difficult to ignore." -- The San Francisco Chronicle

"Laforet's moody and sepulchral debut novel...has been given new life by acclaimed translator Grossman....Andrea's narration is gorgeously expressive, rippling with emotion and meaning...fans of European lit will welcome this Spanish Gothic to the States with open arms and a half-exasperated, "What took you so long?"-Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

"This Modern Library edition should be a keeper." -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"Carmen Laforet finds new life with this beautiful translation...dazzling in its approach...Laforet's talent in addressing complex familial and social issues us nothing short of amazing...her wiser-than-thou nature and clever handling of bitter dialogue [are] the mark of a truly gifted writer.....a timeless work of art." -- The Fredericksburg Free Lance Star

"Nada is neither moralist, nor prolix, unlike most other Spanish literature of the time and before. This is a modern voice, philosophically and stylistically, talking to us in freedom from the darkest hours of the victory of fascism....remarkably sophisticated." -- The Independent

"[A] remarkable achievement...Nada's work is sui generis, a gothic horror story which deserves the widest possible readership." -- The Sunday Herald

"Edith Grossman's translation makes the rich, dense descriptions....sound perfectly natural in English; not a beat is missed, not an adjective misplaced. Let us hope that her fine, readable version will enable Nada to achieve, in the English-reading world, the perennial popularity of a great twentieth-century novel."--TLS

Book Description:

A modern Spanish classic, first published in Spain sixty years ago and translated into eighteen languages, and now available in a sparkling English translation, with a preface by Mario Vargas Llosa.

About this edition

• Publisher: Modern Library
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0679643451
• ISBN 13: 9780679643456
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 244