Guest of the ilb 2004
Andrés Barba was born in Madrid, Spain, in 1975. He
obtained a degree in Spanish Philology, and then studied Philosophy. He
went on to teach at Bowdoin College, in Maine, USA. Barba’s writing
first attracted attention with the publication of his novella, »El
hueso que más duele« (1997; t: The Bone that Most Hurts), which came
out when the author had just turned twenty. It won the Ramón J. Sender
prize for narrative. From the start critics praised his brutally honest
tone, realist style and remarkable insight into human relationships.
His second novel, »La hermana de Katia« (2001; t. Katia’s Sister), was
a finalist for the XIX Premio Herralde de Novela 2001, and was very
well received by the reading public as well as by the press. The novel
tells the story of a fourteen year old girl who lives in a small flat
in Madrid with her sister – who by night does stripteases – and their
prostitute mother. Although narrated in the third person, we are told
of the girl’s thoughts, fears, desires and sensations – and yet she
remains anonymous, referred to simply as »Katia’s sister«. Critics have
praised the novel’s astonishingly convincing portrayal of innocence.
»La recta intención« (2002; t. The Honest Intention) was Barba’s third
book. It is comprised of four novellas in which the author deals with
such themes as lack of communication, guilt, fear of getting close to
others, fear of being rejected by one’s beloved, an obsession with
personal fortitude, and the inability to forgive. The tales have been
called »authentic parables of modern times«. His novel, »Ahora tocad
música de baile« (2004; t. Now Play a Dance Tune), tackles the theme of
Alzheimer’s, an illness which befalls the protagonist, Inés Fonseca. It
is as much a domestic novel as a psychological exploration, and the
story is told through three alternating voices and at four different
stages of the illness. The narrative gaps serve as a way of mapping
Inés’s mental deterioration, which becomes more apparent and severe
with each instalment. For this novel, Barba was praised for his sharp
realism, reinforced by his refusal to be superficial or banal. The
young author currently teaches at the Universidad Complutense in
Madrid. He was awarded the Torrente Ballester Prize for his recent
novel "Versiones de Teresa" (2006; t: Versions of Teresa). His work has
been translated into English, French, German, Serbian, Dutch and
Italian.
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