Eduardo Mendoza [ Spanien ]

Eduardo Mendoza was born in Barcelona in 1943.  After studying law from 1960 to 1965, he worked as a lawyer of a bank for several years.  In 1973 he left fascist Spain to work as a translator for the United Nations in New York until 1982.  In 1975, only a few months before Franco’s death, Mendoza’s first novel came out, 'La verdad sobre el caso Savolta', the original title of which 'Los soldados de Cataluña' was a victim of censorship.  Because of its critical tone, the book was celebrated as first novel of the democratic change and was awarded the 'Premio de la Critica' a year after its publication.  In 1978/1980 Antonio Drove made a film besed on the novel.

Four years later, Mendoza showed, with 'El misterio de la cripta embrujada', his parodistic ability.  With echos from the picaresque novel and American detective stories, the novel exposes, with much black humour, the absurdity of city life.  The continuation, 'El laberinto de las aceituna' came out in 1982. In the same year the author returned to Barcelona to start work on his up until now most successful novel.

The novel 'La ciudad de los prodigos' came out in 1986 and finally brought him to the top of contemporary Spanish literature. The novel tells, in an ironic way, touching on the tradition of the historical novel, of Onofre Bouvilas, a young man from a simple background who comes to power and wealth in Barcelona between the two world exhibitions of 1888 and 1929. At the beginning a Catalonian anarchist, then seller of hair growth potions, Onofre works and swindles his way to success until he finally, as richest man in Spain, has constant access to all political centres of power.  The novel, filmed in 1999 by Mario Camus, was also a great success abroad.  The French magazine 'Lire' voted 'La ciudad de los prodigos' as best book in 1988.

In 1990 Mendoza started a serialized novel in the newspaper 'El País' which, in 1991, was once again published under the title of 'Sin nóticias de Gurb'. One year later another successful novel appeared, 'El año del diluvio', which is going to be filmed by Jamie Chávarri in 2003.

After 'Una comedia ligera', Eduardo Mendoza received the bookseller’s prize for the 'Best Book of 2001' at the Madrid Book Fairpresented for his novel 'La aventura del tocador de señoras'. He walked new literary paths with the cultural and social history 'Barcelona modernista' (2003), written in collaboration with Cristina Mendoza. His most recent novel, 'Mauricio o las elecciones primarias' was published in 2006. Eduardo Mendoza lives in Barcelona.

© international literature festival berlin